The Infernal Marriage | Page 6

his soul as security for the good behaviour of his body, stood before the surprised and indignant Court of Hades. Tall and graceful in stature, and crowned with laurels, Proserpine was glad to observe that the man, who was evidently famous, was also good-looking.
'Thy purpose, mortal?' inquired Pluto, with awful majesty.
'Mercy!' answered the stranger in a voice of exquisite melody, and sufficiently embarrassed to render him interesting.
'What is mercy?' inquired the Fates and the Furies.
'Speak, stranger, without fear,' said Proserpine. 'Thy name?'
'Is Orpheus; but a few days back the too happy husband of the enchanting Eurydice. Alas! dread King, and thou too, beautiful and benignant partner of his throne, I won her by my lyre, and by my lyre I would redeem her. Know, then, that in the very glow of our gratified passion a serpent crept under the flowers on which we reposed, and by a fatal sting summoned my adored to the shades. Why did it not also summon me? I will not say why should I not have been the victim in her stead; for I feel too keenly that the doom of Eurydice would not have been less forlorn, had she been the wretched being who had been spared to life. O King! they whispered on earth that thou too hadst yielded thy heart to the charms of love. Pluto, they whispered, is no longer stern: Pluto also feels the all-subduing influence of beauty. Dread monarch, by the self-same passion that rages in our breasts alike, I implore thy mercy. Thou hast risen from the couch of love, the arm of thy adored has pressed upon thy heart, her honied lips have clung with rapture to thine, still echo in thy ears all the enchanting phrases of her idolatry. Then, by the memory of these, by all the higher and ineffable joys to which these lead, King of Hades, spare me, oh! spare me, Eurydice!'
Proserpine threw her arms round the neck of her husband, and, hiding her face in his breast, wept.
'Rash mortal, you demand that which is not in the power of Pluto to concede,' said Lachesis.
'I have heard much of treason since my entrance into Hades,' replied Orpheus, 'and this sounds like it.'
'Mortal!' exclaimed Clotho, with contempt.
'Nor is it in your power to return, sir,' said Tisiphone, shaking her whip.
'We have accounts to settle with you,' said Meg?ra.
'Spare her, spare her,' murmured Proserpine to her lover.
'King of Hades!' said Lachesis, with much dignity, 'I hold a responsible office in your realm, and I claim the constitutional privilege of your attention. I protest against the undue influence of the Queen. She is a power unknown in our constitution, and an irresponsible agent that I will not recognise. Let her go back to the drawing-room, where all will bow to her.'
'Hag!' exclaimed Proserpine. 'King of Hades, I, too, can appeal to you. Have I accepted your crown to be insulted by your subjects?'
'A subject, may it please your Majesty, who has duties as strictly defined by our infernal constitution as those of your royal spouse; duties, too, which, let me tell you, madam, I and my order are resolved to perform.'
'Gods of Olympus!' cried Proserpine. 'Is this to be a Queen?'
'Before we proceed further in this discussion,' said Lachesis, 'I must move an inquiry into the conduct of his Excellency the Governor of the Gates. I move, then, that Cerberus be summoned.
Pluto started, and the blood rose to his dark cheek. 'I have not yet had an opportunity of mentioning,' said his Majesty, in a low tone, and with an air of considerable confusion, 'that I have thought fit, as a reward for his past services, to promote Cerberus to the office of the Master of the Hounds. He therefore is no longer responsible.'
'O-h!' shrieked the Furies, as they elevated their hideous eyes.
'The constitution has invested your Majesty with a power in the appointment of your Officers of State which your Majesty has undoubtedly a right to exercise,' said Lachesis. 'What degree of discretion it anticipated in the exercise, it is now unnecessary, and would be extremely disagreeable, to discuss. I shall not venture to inquire by what new influence your Majesty has been guided in the present instance. The consequence of your Majesty's conduct is obvious, in the very difficult situation in which your realm is now placed. For myself and my colleagues, I have only to observe that we decline, under this crisis, any further responsibility; and the distaff and the shears are at your Majesty's service the moment your Majesty may find convenient successors to the present holders. As a last favour, in addition to the many we are proud to remember we have received from your Majesty, we entreat that we may be relieved from their burthen as quickly as possible.' (Loud