Does the earth disobey me? Does it dare to be green when I have bidden it be barren until my daughter shall be restored to my arms? Proserpina (running to her mother's arms). Then open your arms, dear mother, and take your little daughter into them. Ceres. My child, did you taste any food while you were in King Pluto's palace? Proserpina. Dearest mother, I will tell you the whole truth. Until this very morning not a morsel of food had passed my lips. But to-day they brought me a pomegranate (a very dry one it was, and all shriveled up, till there was little left of it but seeds and skin); and, having seen no fruit for so long a time, and being faint with hunger, I was tempted just to bite it. The instant I tasted it King Pluto and Quicksilver came into the room. I had not swallowed a morsel; but dear mother, I hope it was no harm but six of the pomegranate seeds, I am afraid, remained in my mouth. Ceres. Ah, unfortunate child and miserable me! For each of those six pomegranate seeds you must spend one month of every year in King Pluto's palace. You are but half restored to your mother. Only six months with me, and six with that goodfor-nothing King of Darkness! Proserpina. Do not speak so harshly of poor King Pluto. I really think I can bear to spend six months in his palace, if he will only let me spend the other six with you. He certainly did very wrong to carry me off; but then, as he says, it was a dismal sort of life for him to live in that great gloomy place all alone; and it has made a wonderful change in his spirits to have a little girl to run upstairs and down. There There is some comfort in making him happy; and so, upon the whole, dearest mother, let us be thankful that he is not to keep me the whole year round. From "The Pomegranate Seeds," by Nathaniel Hawthorne (adapted). Ce'res Phoe bus fe'bus KN. DRAM. READ. - IO JEAN VALJEAN AND THE BISHOP SCENE I PLACE: The Bishop's house The Bishop Characters Jean Valjean, an escaped convict Madam Magloire, the Bishop's housekeeper The Bishop's housekeeper had been telling him of the presence of suspicious prowlers in town, and had been urging the need of new bolts on the doors. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Bishop. Come in! [The door opens, and a rough-looking fellow enters with a pack on his back.] Jean Valjean. I am going to give you this straight. My name is Jean Valjean. I am a released convict, having spent nineteen years in the hulks. I was let out four days ago and have been footing it these four days. I have done twelve leagues this day. No one will harbor me anywhere. I rapped at the jail, and the warder would not open to me. I crept into a dog kennel and the beast snapped at me. I went into the fields to sleep under the stars, but there were none; and, thinking that it would rain, I returned into town to find some doorway to snooze in. Across the square woman pointed to I lay on a stone, when a good A I have money. I am very hungry. me stay? I have kind of hotel? Bishop. Madam Magloire, bring another plate. Jean Valjean. Stop, you haven't got this right. Did you not hear? I am a jail bird, a galley slave, fresh from the prison. (Pulling a large sheet of paper from his pocket.) This is my leave to travel. It leads to my being kicked out wherever I show myself. Hark ye! 'JEAN VALJEAN, released convict, born at"-oh, you don't care for that? "Nineteen years in. Five for burglary and theft. Fourteen for trying four times to get out." There! Will you receive me? Will you give me meat and A stable will do for me. a bed? Bishop. Madam Magloire, air the sheets on the alcove bed. Monsieur, take a seat and warm yourself. We are just sitting down to supper, and while you are having yours, your bed will be got ready. Jean Valjean. Is this so? What, you will keep me? You do not drive me out, a jail bird? You call me "monsieur" and do not talk as to a dog. Oh, what a trump that good soul was who told me to apply here! I am going to have supper, did you say? And a bed, with real sheets and a mattress, like all the rest of the world but us? It |