第 32 节
作者:水王      更新:2021-12-07 09:36      字数:9322
  enough in the sunshine to be very fond of its light。
  As soon as this personage saw the affrighted Proserpina; he beckoned
  her to come a little nearer。
  〃Do not be afraid;〃 said he; with as cheerful a smile as he knew how to
  put   on。   〃Come!     Will   you   not   like   to   ride   a   little   way   with   me;   in   my
  beautiful chariot?〃
  But Proserpina was so alarmed; that she wished for nothing but to get
  out   of   his   reach。 And   no   wonder。  The   stranger   did   not   look   remarkably
  good…natured;   in   spite   of   his   smile;   and   as   for   his   voice;   its   tones   were
  deep and stern; and sounded as much like the rumbling of an earthquake
  underground   than   anything   else。 As   is   always   the   case   with   children   in
  trouble; Proserpina's first thought was to call for her mother。
  〃Mother;   Mother   Ceres!〃   cried   she;   all   in   a   tremble。   〃Come   quickly
  and save me。〃
  But her voice was too faint for her mother to hear。 Indeed; it is most
  probable that Ceres was then a thousand miles off; making the corn grow
  in some far distant country。 Nor could it have availed her poor daughter;
  even had she been within hearing; for no sooner did Proserpina begin to
  cry out; than the stranger leaped to the ground; caught the child in his arms;
  and   again   mounted the   chariot;  shook   the   reins;  and   shouted to   the   four
  black horses to set off。 They immediately broke into so swift a gallop; that
  it seemed rather like flying through the air than running along the earth。 In
  a moment; Proserpina lost sight of the pleasant vale of Enna; in which she
  had always dwelt。 Another instant; and even the summit of Mount Aetna
  had become so blue in the distance; that she could scarcely distinguish it
  from   the   smoke   that   gushed   out   of   its   crater。   But   still   the   poor   child
  screamed; and scattered her apron full of flowers along the way; and left a
  long cry trailing behind the chariot; and many  mothers; to whose ears it
  came; ran quickly to see if any mischief had befallen their children。 But
  Mother Ceres was a great way off; and could not hear the cry。
  As they rode on; the stranger did his best to soothe her。
  〃Why should you be so frightened; my pretty child?〃 said he; trying to
  soften his rough voice。 〃I promise not to do you any harm。 What! you have
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  been gathering flowers? Wait till we come to my palace; and I will give
  you   a   garden   full   of   prettier   flowers   than   those;   all   made   of   pearls;   and
  diamonds; and rubies。 Can you guess who I am? They call my name Pluto;
  and I am the king of diamonds and all other precious stones。 Every atom
  of   the   gold   and   silver   that   lies   under   the   earth   belongs   to   me;   to   say
  nothing of the copper and iron; and of the coal mines; which supply me
  with abundance of fuel。 Do you see this splendid crown upon my head?
  You may have it for a plaything。 O; we shall be very good friends; and you
  will find me more agreeable than you expect; when once we get out of this
  troublesome sunshine。〃
  〃Let me go home!〃 cried Proserpina。 〃Let me go home!〃
  〃My home is better than your mother's;〃 answered King Pluto。 〃It is a
  palace; all made of gold; with crystal windows; and because there is little
  or no sunshine thereabouts; the apartments are illuminated with diamond
  lamps。 You never saw anything half so magnificent as my throne。 If you
  like; you may sit down on it; and be my little queen; and I will sit on the
  footstool。〃
  〃I don't care for golden palaces and thrones;〃 sobbed Proserpina。 〃Oh;
  my mother; my mother! Carry me back to my mother!〃
  But King Pluto; as he called himself; only shouted to his steeds to go
  faster。
  〃Pray do not be foolish; Proserpina;〃 said he; in rather a sullen tone。 〃I
  offer you my palace and my crown; and all the riches that are under the
  earth;   and   you   treat   me   as   if   I   were  doing   you   an   injury。 The  one   thing
  which my palace needs is a merry little maid; to run upstairs and down;
  and cheer up the rooms with her smile。 And this is what you must do for
  King Pluto。〃
  〃Never!〃   answered   Proserpina;   looking   as   miserable  as   she   could。   〃I
  shall never smile again till you set me down at my mother's door。〃
  But she might just as well have talked to the wind that whistled past
  them; for Pluto urged on his horses; and went faster than ever。 Proserpina
  continued   to   cry   out;   and   screamed   so   long   and   so   loudly   that   her   poor
  little   voice   was   almost   screamed   away;   and   when   it   was   nothing   but   a
  whisper; she happened to cast her eyes over a great broad field of waving
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  grainand whom do you think she saw? Who; but Mother Ceres; making
  the corn grow; and too busy to notice the golden chariot as it went rattling
  along。 The child mustered all her strength; and gave one more scream; but
  was out of sight before Ceres had time to turn her head。
  King   Pluto   had   taken   a   road   which   now   began   to   grow   excessively
  gloomy。 It was bordered on each side with rocks and precipices; between
  which   the   rumbling of   the   chariot   wheels   was   reverberated   with   a noise
  like rolling thunder。 The trees and bushes that grew in the crevices of the
  rocks had very dismal foliage; and by and by; although it was hardly noon;
  the air became obscured with a gray twilight。 The black horses had rushed
  along so swiftly; that they were already beyond the limits of the sunshine。
  But   the   duskier   it   grew;   the   more   did   Pluto's   visage   assume   an   air   of
  satisfaction。 After all; he was not an ill…looking person; especially when he
  left   off   twisting   his   features   into   a   smile   that   did   not   belong   to   them。
  Proserpina peeped at his face through the gathering dusk; and hoped that
  he might not be so very wicked as she at first thought him。
  〃Ah; this twilight is truly refreshing;〃 said King Pluto; 〃after being so
  tormented   with   that   ugly   and   impertinent   glare   of   the   sun。   How   much
  more agreeable is lamplight or torchlight; more particularly when reflected
  from diamonds! It will be a magnificent sight; when we get to my palace。〃
  〃Is it much farther?〃 asked Proserpina。 〃And will you carry me back
  when I have seen it?〃
  〃We will talk of that by and by;〃 answered Pluto。 〃We are just entering
  my   dominions。   Do   you   see   that   tall   gateway   before   us?   When   we   pass
  those   gates;   we   are   at   home。   And   there   lies   my   faithful   mastiff   at   the
  threshold。 Cerberus! Cerberus! Come hither; my good dog!〃
  So   saying;   Pluto   pulled   at   the   reins;   and   stopped   the   chariot   right
  between the tall; massive pillars of the gateway。 The mastiff of which he
  had spoken got up from the threshold; and stood on his hinder legs; so as
  to put his fore paws on the chariot wheel。 But; my stars; what a strange
  dog it   was! Why; he   was   a big;  rough; ugly…looking monster;  with   three
  separate heads; and each of them fiercer than the two others; but fierce as
  they  were;   King   Pluto   patted   them   all。   He   seemed   as   fond   of   his   three…
  headed   dog   as   if   it   had   been   a  sweet   little   spaniel;   with   silken   ears   and
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  curly hair。 Cerberus; on the other hand; was evidently rejoiced to see his
  master; and expressed his attachment; as other dogs do; by wagging his tail
  at a great rate。 Proserpina's eyes being drawn to it by its brisk motion; she
  saw that this tail was neither more nor less than a live dragon; with fiery
  eyes;   and   fangs   that   had   a   very   poisonous   aspect。 And   while   the   three…
  headed   Cerberus   was   fawning   so   lovingly   on   King   Pluto;   there   was   the
  dragon tail wagging against its will; and looking as cross and ill…natured as
  you can imagine; on its own separate account。
  〃Will   the   dog   bite   me?〃   asked   Proserpina;   shrinking   closer   to   Pluto。
  〃What an ugly creature he is!〃
  〃O;   never   fear;〃   answered   her   companion。   〃He   never   harms   people;
  unless   they   try   to   enter   my   dominions   without   being   sent   for;   or   to   get
  away  when   I wish to keep   them here。   Down; Cerberus!   Now;  my  pretty
  Proserpina; we will drive on。〃
  On   went   the   chariot