When Pluto heard this , he began to see that he had mistaken the best method of tempting Proserpina to eat . The cook 's made dishes and artificial dainties were not half so delicious , in the good child 's opinion , as the simple fare to which Mother Ceres had accustomed her . Wondering that he had never thought of it before , the king now sent one of his trusty attendants with a large basket , to get some of the finest and juiciest pears , peaches , and plums which could anywhere be found in the upper world . Unfortunately , however , this was during the time when Ceres had forbidden any fruits or vegetables to grow ; and , after seeking all over the earth , King Pluto 's servant found only a single pomegranate , and that so dried up as not to be worth eating . Nevertheless , since there was no better to be had , he brought this dry , old withered pomegranate home to the palace , put it on a magnificent golden salver , and carried it up to Proserpina . Now , it happened , curiously enough , that , just as the servant was bringing the pomegranate into the back door of the palace , our friend Quicksilver had gone up the front steps , on his errand to get Proserpina away from King Pluto . As soon as Proserpina saw the pomegranate on the golden salver , she told the servant he had better take it away again . `` I shall not touch it , I assure you , '' said she . `` If I were ever so hungry , I should never think of eating such a miserable , dry pomegranate as that . '' `` It is the only one in the world , '' said the servant . He set down the golden salver , with the wizened pomegranate upon it , and left the room . When he was gone , Proserpina could not help coming close to the table , and looking at this poor specimen of dried fruit with a great deal of eagerness ; for , to say the truth , on seeing something that suited her taste , she felt all the six months ' appetite taking possession of her at once . To be sure , it was a very wretched-looking pomegranate , and seemed to have no more juice in it than an oyster shell . But there was no choice of such things in King Pluto 's palace . This was the first fruit she had seen there , and the last she was ever likely to see ; and unless she ate it up immediately , it would grow drier than it already was , and be wholly unfit to eat . `` At least , I may smell it , '' thought Proserpina . So she took up the pomegranate , and applied it to her nose ; and , somehow or other , being in such close neighborhood to her mouth , the fruit found its way into that little red cave . Dear me ! what an everlasting pity ! Before Proserpina knew what she was about , her teeth had actually bitten it , of their own accord .
Just XXXXX this fatal deed was done , the door of the apartment opened , and in came King Pluto , followed by Quicksilver , who had been urging him to let his little prisoner go .
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