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330 The earth obeyed. She opened her bosom; and by a dark passage, in which the Queen needed a guide as brilliant as he who had taken her under his protection, she reached the infernal regions. She dreaded meeting her husband in them under the form of a serpent; but Love, who sometimes employs himself in rendering good offices to the unfortunate, having foreseen all that was to be foreseen in the matter, had already ordered that Green-Serpent should become what he was previous to his penance. Powerful as Magotine was, alas, what could she do against Love? The consequence was, that the first sight that met the Queen's eyes was that of her amiable husband. She had never beheld him in such a charming form, and he had never seen her as beautiful as she had become; but notwithstanding this, a presentiment, and perhaps Love, who made a third in the party, caused each of them to guess who the other was. The Queen said to him, with extreme tenderness,—

The King, transported by the violence of his passion, said, in reply to his wife, everything that could prove his ardour and delight; but Love, who is not fond of losing time, pressed them to approach Proserpine. The Queen gave Magotine's compliments to her, and requested she would entrust her with the Essence of long life. It was the watchword between these good people. Proserpine immediately gave the Queen a phial very badly corked, in order to induce her to open it. Love, who is no novice, warned the Queen against the indulgence of a curiosity which would again be fatal to her; and quickly leaving those dreary regions, the King and Queen returned to the light of day. Love would not abandon them. He led them back to Magotine, and that she might not see him, he hid himself in their hearts. His presence nevertheless inspired the fairy with such humane sentiments, that although she knew not the reason, she received these illustrious unfortunates very graciously. With a supernatural effort of generosity she restored to them the