purpose. But mad Leontes, angry even with the gods for baffling him, rose, declaring that the oracle was false. At this moment a servant rushed into the court with the news of the death of Mamillius. The young prince had been pining ever since his mother’s imprisonment, and had suddenly died. When Hermione heard this, the woman overpowered the queen. Her fortitude gave way, and uttering one cry, she fell prostrate in the midst of her guards. Thus, in an hour, the madness of Leontes had deprived himself of wife and children. Then too late his eyes were opened; he saw his gross injustice; he recognized the truth of the oracle; he believed the curse of Apollo had fallen on him forever. His remorse was as violent as his unjust jealousy, and he tore his robes and his hair in a frenzy of passionate sorrow. Paulina only could console him, and as she was a woman of tender heart as well as of strong mind, she was a genuine comforter. With her own hands, too, she prepared the body of Hermione for the grave; watched with it while it lay in state before the funeral, and superintended all the obsequies of her dear queen and mistress.
In all this time Antigonus was sailing rapidly away from the kingdom of Leontes with the innocent babe, on whom the king’s wrath had fallen. After a tempestuous voyage, his ship
