stay at the request of Leontes, was won over by Hermione's gentle and
persuasive words to put off his departure for some weeks longer.
Upon this, although Leontes had so long known the integrity and
honourable principles of his friend Polixenes, as well as the excellent
disposition of his virtuous queen, he was seized with an ungovernable
jealousy. Every attention Hermione showed to Polixenes, though by
her husband's particular desire, and merely to please him, increased
the unfortunate king's jealousy; and from being a loving and a true
friend, and the best and fondest of husbands, Leontes became
suddenly a savage and inhuman monster. Sending for Camillo, one of
the lords of his court, and telling him of the suspicion he entertained,
he commanded him to poison Polixenes.

Camillo was a good man; and he, well knowing that the jealousy of
Leontes had not the slightest foundation in truth, instead of poisoning
Polixenes, acquainted him with the king his master's orders, and
agreed to escape with him out of the Sicilian dominions; and
Polixenes, with the assistance of Camillo, arrived safe in his own
kingdom of Bohemia, where Camillo lived from that time in the king's
court, and became the chief friend and favourite of Polixenes.

The flight of Polixenes enraged the jealous Leontes still more; he
went to the queen's apartment, where the good lady was sitting with
her little son Mamillius, who was just beginning to tell one of his best
stories to amuse his mother, when the king entered, and taking the
child away, sent Hermione to prison.

Mamillius, though but a very young child, loved his mother tenderly;
and when he saw her so dishonoured, and found she was taken from
him to be put into a prison, he took it deeply to heart, and drooped and