'My Proserpine is perverse,' replied Pluto; 'her memory has scarcely done me justice.'

   'I am sure you said you liked Cerberus better than anything in the world,' continued the goddess, with a voice trembling with passion.

   'I said no such thing,' replied Pluto, somewhat sternly.

   'I see how it is,' replied Proserpine, with a sob; 'you are tired of me.'

   'My beloved!'

   'I never expected this.'

   'My child!'

   'Was it for this I left my mother?'

   'Powers of Hades! How you can say such things!'

   'Broke her heart?'

   'Proserpine! Proserpine!'

   'Gave up daylight?'

   'For the sake of Heaven, then, calm yourself!'

   'Sacrificed everything?'

   'My love! my life! my angel! what is all this?'

   'And then to be abused for the sake of a dog!'

   'By all the shades of Hell, but this is enough to provoke even immortals. What have I done, said, or thought, to justify such treatment?'

   'Oh! me!'

   'Proserpine!'

   'Heigho!'

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