Page:Stories from Old English Poetry-1899.djvu/184

162 departure, and seeking out Camillo, found he also had gone, the fury of Leontes burst all bounds. For he thought he saw, in their hurried departure, proof that Polixenes had been guilty, and that Camillo had been all the time in his confidence.

He instantly went, all inflamed with rage, to the apartment of queen Hermione, tore her child, the prince Mamillius, from her embrace, and ordered her to be cast into prison. The poor lady could hardly speak a word of defense, she was so Overcome with sorrow and astonishment, but what she did say was full of dignity and mild reproach.

Every one in the whole court was in sympathy with Hermione. The lords and ladies all believed in her goodness and virtue, and some of them did not scruple to tell Leontes he had done wrong. The king never heard so much plain speaking in all his life as in the first two or three days after her imprisonment.

After Hermione had been a few days in prison, a beautiful little daughter was born to her,a sweet babe, which filled the dull old prison where she lay with light and beauty. Poor Hermione could only weep over the dear little creature, and did not feel much consolation from its angelic presence, since her husband had taken his favor from her.