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 with his hand , as if he did not live enough in the sunshine to be very fond of its light . As soon as this personage saw the affrighted Proserpina , he beckoned her to come a little nearer . `` Do not be afraid , '' said he , with as cheerful a smile as he knew how to put on . `` Come ! Will you not like to ride a little way with me , in my beautiful chariot ? '' But Proserpina was so alarmed , that she wished for nothing but to get out of his reach . And no wonder . The stranger did not look remarkably good-natured , in spite of his smile ; and as for his voice , its tones were deep and stern , and sounded as much like the rumbling of an earthquake underground than anything else . As is always the case with children in trouble , Proserpina 's first thought was to call for her mother . `` Mother , Mother Ceres ! '' cried she , all in a tremble . `` Come quickly and save me . '' But her voice was too faint for her mother to hear . Indeed , it is most probable that Ceres was then a thousand miles off , making the corn grow in some far distant country . Nor could it have availed her poor daughter , even had she been within hearing ; for no sooner did Proserpina begin to cry out , than the stranger leaped to the ground , caught the child in his arms , and again mounted the chariot , shook the reins , and shouted to the four black horses to set off . They immediately broke into so swift a gallop , that it seemed rather like flying through the air than running along the earth .
In a moment , Proserpina lost sight XXXXX the pleasant vale of Enna , in which she had always dwelt .
as in nearer of than that to until with within