Psyche gave heed, and by this device, whatever it was, she found her
way into Hades safely, and made her errand known to Proserpina, and was
soon in the upper world again, wearied but hopeful.

"Surely Love has not forgotten me," she said. "But humbled as I am and
worn with toil, how shall I ever please him? Venus can never need all
the beauty in this casket; and since I use it for Love's sake, it must
be right to take some." So saying, she opened the box, heedless as
Pandora! The spells and potions of Hades are not for mortal maids, and
no sooner had she inhaled the strange aroma than she fell down like one
dead, quite overcome.

But it happened that Love himself was recovered from his wound, and he
had secretly fled from his chamber to seek out and rescue Psyche. He
found her lying by the wayside; he gathered into the casket what
remained of the philter, and awoke his beloved.

"Take comfort," he said, smiling. "Return to our mother and do her
bidding till I come again."

Away he flew; and while Psyche went cheerily homeward, he hastened up
to Olympus, where all the gods sat feasting, and begged them to
intercede for him with his angry mother.

They heard his story and their hearts were touched. Zeus himself coaxed
Venus with kind words till at last she relented, and remembered that
anger hurt her beauty, and smiled once more. All the younger gods were
for welcoming Psyche at once, and Hermes was sent to bring her hither.
The maiden came, a shy newcomer among those bright creatures. She took
the cup that Hebe held out to her, drank the divine ambrosia, and