cried Proserpina ; and then she thought to herself , `` I was looking at that spot only a moment ago . How strange it is that I did not see the flowers ! '' The nearer she approached the shrub , the more attractive it looked , until she came quite close to it ; and then , although its beauty was richer than words can tell , she hardly knew whether to like it or not . It bore above a hundred flowers of the most brilliant hues , and each different from the others , but all having a kind of resemblance among themselves , which showed them to be sister blossoms . But there was a deep , glossy luster on the leaves of the shrub , and on the petals of the flowers , that made Proserpina doubt whether they might not be poisonous . To tell you the truth , foolish as it may seem , she was half inclined to turn round and run away . `` What a silly child I am ! '' thought she , taking courage . `` It is really the most beautiful shrub that ever sprang out of the earth . I will pull it up by the roots , and carry it home , and plant it in my mother 's garden . '' Holding up her apron full of flowers with her left hand , Proserpina seized the large shrub with the other , and pulled , and pulled , but was hardly able to loosen the soil about its roots . What a deep-rooted plant it was ! Again the girl pulled with all her might , and observed that the earth began to stir and crack to some distance around the stem . She gave another pull , but relaxed her hold , fancying that there was a rumbling sound right beneath her feet . Did the roots extend down into some enchanted cavern ? Then laughing at herself for so childish a notion , she made another effort : up came the shrub , and Proserpina staggered back , holding the stem triumphantly in her hand , and gazing at the deep hole which its roots had left in the soil . Much to her astonishment , this hole kept spreading wider and wider , and growing deeper and deeper , until it really seemed to have no bottom ; and all the while , there came a rumbling noise out of its depths , louder and louder , and nearer and nearer , and sounding like the tramp of horses ' hoofs and the rattling of wheels . Too much frightened to run away , she stood straining her eyes into this wonderful cavity , and soon saw a team of four sable horses , snorting smoke out of their nostrils , and tearing their way out of the earth with a splendid golden chariot whirling at their heels . They leaped out of the bottomless hole , chariot and all ; and there they were , tossing their black manes , flourishing their black tails , and curvetting with every one of their hoofs off the ground at once , close by the spot where Proserpina stood . In the chariot sat the figure of a man , richly dressed , with a crown on his head , all flaming with diamonds .
He was of a noble aspect , and rather handsome , but looked sullen and discontented ; and he kept rubbing his eyes and shading them XXXXX his hand , as if he did not live enough in the sunshine to be very fond of its light .
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