three will get on very well with her,' squeaked Megasra.
'You always get on well with people.'

'We must remember how very strange things here must appear to her,'
observed Atropos.

'No one can deny that there are some very disagreeable sights,' said
Clotho.

'There is something in that,' replied Tisiphone, looking in the glass,
and arranging her serpents; 'and for my part, poor girl, I almost pity
her, when I think she will have to visit the Harpies.'

At this moment four little pages entered the room, who, without
exception, were the most hideous dwarfs that ever attended upon a
monarch. They were clothed only in parti-coloured tunics, and their
breasts and legs were quite bare. From the countenance of the first you
would have supposed he was in a convulsion; his hands were clenched
and his hair stood on end: this was Terror! The protruded veins of the
second seemed ready to burst, and his rubicund visage decidedly proved
that he had blood in his head; this was Rage! The third was of an ashen
colour throughout: this was Paleness! And the fourth, with a countenance
not without traces of beauty, was even more disgusting than his
companions from the quantity of horrible flies, centipedes, snails, and
other noisome, slimy, and indescribable monstrosities that were crawling
all about his body and feeding on his decaying features. The name of
this fourth page was Death!

'The King and Queen!' announced the pages.

Pluto, during the night, had prepared Proserpine for the worst, and had
endeavoured to persuade her that his love would ever compensate for
all annoyances. She was in excellent spirits and in very good humour;
therefore, though she could with difficulty stifle a scream when she
recognised the Furies, she received the congratulations of the Parcae
with much cordiality.

'I have the pleasure, Proserpine, of presenting you to my family,' said
Pluto.

'Who, I am sure, hope to make Hades agreeable to your Majesty,' rejoined
Clotho. The Furies uttered a suppressed sound between a murmur and a
growl.

'I have ordered the chariot,' said Pluto. 'I propose to take the Queen a
ride, and show her some of our lions.'

'She will, I am sure, be delighted,' said Lachesis.

'I long to see Ixion,' said Proserpine.

'The wretch!' shrieked Tisiphone.

'I cannot help thinking that he has been very unfairly treated,' said
Proserpine.

'What!' squeaked Megaera. 'The ravisher!'

'Ay! it is all very well,' replied Pr