The Infernal Marriage | Page 4

suppressed sound between a
murmur and a growl.

'I have ordered the chariot,' said Pluto. 'I propose to take the Queen a
ride, and show her some of our lions.'
'She will, I am sure, be delighted,' said Lachesis.
'I long to see Ixion,' said Proserpine.
'The wretch!' shrieked Tisiphone.
'I cannot help thinking that he has been very unfairly treated,' said
Proserpine.
'What!' squeaked Megæra. 'The ravisher!'
'Ay! it is all very well,' replied Proserpine; 'but, for my part, if we knew
the truth of that affair-----'
'Is it possible that your Majesty can speak in such a tone of levity of
such an offender?' shrieked Tisiphone.
'Is it possible?' moaned Alecto.
'Ah! you have heard only one side of the question; but for my part,
knowing as much of Juno as I do-----'
'The Queen of Heaven!' observed Atropos, with an intimidating glance.
'The Queen of Fiddlestick!' said Proserpine; 'as great a flirt as ever
existed, with all her prudish looks.'
The Fates and the Furies exchanged glances of astonishment and
horror.
'For my part,' continued Proserpine, 'I make it a rule to support the
weaker side, and nothing will ever persuade me that Ixion is not a
victim, and a pitiable one.'
'Well! men generally have the best of it in these affairs,' said Lachesis,
with a forced smile.

'Juno ought to be ashamed of herself,' said Proserpine. 'Had I been in
her situation, they should have tied me to a wheel first. At any rate,
they ought to have punished him in Heaven. I have no idea of those
people sending every mauvais sujet to Hell.'
'But what shall we do?' inquired Pluto, who wished to turn the
conversation.
'Shall we turn out a sinner and hunt him for her Majesty's diversion?'
suggested Tisiphone, flanking her serpents.
'Nothing of the kind will ever divert me,' said Proserpine; 'for I have no
hesitation in saying that I do not at all approve of these eternal
punishments, or, indeed, of any punishment whatever.'
'The heretic!' whispered Tisiphone to Megæra. Alecto moaned.
'It might be more interesting to her Majesty,' said Atropos, 'to witness
some of those extraordinary instances of predestined misery with which
Hades abounds. Shall we visit OEdipus?'
'Poor fellow!' exclaimed Proserpine. 'For myself, I willingly confess
that torture disgusts and Destiny puzzles me.'
The Fates and the Furies all alike started.
'I do not understand this riddle of Destiny,' continued the young Queen.
'If you, Parcæ, have predestined that a man should commit a crime, it
appears to me very unjust that you should afterwards call upon the
Furies to punish him for its commission.'
'But man is a free agent,' observed Lachesis, in as mild a tone as she
could command.
'Then what becomes of Destiny?' replied Proserpine.
'Destiny is eternal and irresistible,' replied Clotho. 'All is ordained; but
man is, nevertheless, master of his own actions.'

'I do not understand that,' said Proserpine.
'It is not meant to be understood,' said Atropos; 'but you must
nevertheless believe it.'
'I make it a rule only to believe what I understand,' replied Proserpine.
'It appears,' said Lachesis, with a blended glance of contempt and
vengeance, 'that your Majesty, though a goddess, is an atheist.'
'As for that, anybody may call me just what they please, provided they
do nothing else. So long as I am not tied to a wheel or whipped with
scorpions for speaking my mind, I shall be as tolerant of the speech and
acts of others as I expect them to be tolerant of mine. Come, Pluto, I am
sure that the chariot must be ready!'
So saying, her Majesty took the arm of her spouse, and with a haughty
curtsey left the apartment.
'Did you ever!' shrieked Tisiphone, as the door closed.
'No! never!' squeaked Megaera.
'Never! never!' moaned Alecto.
'She must understand what she believes, must she?' said Lachesis,
scarcely less irritated.
'I never heard such nonsense,' said Clotho.
'What next!' said Atropos.
'Disgusted with torture!' exclaimed the Furies.
'Puzzled with Destiny!' said the Fates.
It was the third morning after the Infernal Marriage; the slumbering
Proserpine reposed in the arms of the snoring Pluto. There was a loud
knocking at the chamber-door. Pluto jumped up in the middle of a

dream.
'My life, what is the matter?' exclaimed Proserpine.
The knocking was repeated and increased. There was also a loud shout
of 'treason, murder, and fire!'
'What is the matter?' exclaimed the god, jumping out of bed and seizing
his trident. 'Who is there?'
'Your pages, your faithful pages! Treason! treason! For the sake of Hell,
open the door. Murder, fire, treason!'
'Enter!' said Pluto, as the door was unlocked.
And Terror and Rage entered.
'You frightful things, get out of the room!' cried Proserpine.
'A moment, my angel!' said Pluto, 'a single