the flash of suspicion that another is preferred; the shame felt for it; the effort to recover himself in the next words; then the attempt to draw from Hermione something flattering to his own self-love, to soothe the sting; while Hermione, in glad spirits, well pleased with her own success and at the evident admiration of the two men, goes on to be more charming and more gracious to Polixenes than it is wise to have been, all the time thinking that she is gratifying her husband. She even gives her hand to Polixenes; seeing which, the very fiend of jealousy enters into Leontes, and he breaks out into a speech vulgar, abusive, coarse, such as only a man with a tainted mind, I think, would have thought of.

It seems to me

I conceive of Leontes as le mari difficile. that Hermione is under the constant fear of offending him; that he is a man whose behavior is guided not by principles but moods, the hardest of all men to deal with, because a wife never knows "where to find " such a husband. When Hermione has succeeded, as she thinks, in pleasing him, a weight is lifted off her heart; she has stepped into sunshine,

the last and only gleam of sunshine in the rest of her sad life; for it is a "Winter's Tale" so far as Hermione is concerned. All pretty graces and sweet coquetries peep out, and she is charming with Polixenes to her own destruction.

Then Leontes, baser and baser, "beset with doubts and fears, and entangled more and more" in the labyrinth of thorns he has created for himself, turns to his boy. He wishes to make sure, he says, that he is like him his father. The likeness is too unmistakable for jealousy itself to deny. The whole address to the child—to whom happily its insinuations must have been incomprehensible is disgusting.

The "rough pash" means a rough head of hair. The "welkin eyes" are blue eyes. The endearments are all coarse and disagreeable.

As Leontes continues his broken soliloquy Polixenes begins to perceive that something has gone wrong, and he and Hermione knowing the disposition of the moody friend and husband, unite to smooth the "raven down of darkness." Leontes turns off their inquiries, and continues toying with his son. "Mine honest friend, wilt thou take eggs for money?" is a proverbial expression equal to our saying now-a-days: Would you exchange a good horse for a gross of green spectacles?

66

Pleased with the boy's answer the father says: May his life be a happy one — Happy man be his dole !" Alas! poor child, that father's jealousy was to extinguish that bright young life in a few days.

Polixenes is induced to speak of his son Florizel, the future hero of the second part of the play, the spring-time of the "Winter's Tale." With fresh exhortations to Hermione to be courteous to his friend and brother-king, Leontes walks off with Mamillius; but Hermione's brief time of happiness and brightness is over. She is doubtless taking counsel with Polixenes how Leontes may be soothed back to good humor, while Leontes goes on with his conversation with his boy, or rather his soliloquy addressed to him in innuendoes. Mamillius, though not understanding the foul talk, has wit enough to see that the one reflection that seems to soothe his father is the recollection of the striking likeness that exists between them.

Then having sent the child to play, Leontes calls Camillo, and bewilders that good councillor (used as he has long been

to his master's moods) by the staggering intensity of feeling in the speeches he makes him. Camillo does not seem to understand how to answer him. In the course of the talk we gather that Leontes has been at some time in his career a man of loose life, which accounts for his vulgar insinuations and his base ideas of women.

Camillo, finding himself mysteriously accused, makes a dignified defence, and asks what is his trespass :

My gracious lord,

may be negligent, foolish, and fearful;
In every one of these no man is free,
But that his negligence, his folly, fear,
Among the infinite doings of the world
Sometimes puts forth. In your affairs, my lord,
If ever I were wilful-negligent,

It was my folly; if industriously

I played the fool, it was my negligence,
Not weighing well the end; if ever fearful
To do a thing, where I the issue doubted,
Whereof the execution did cry out
Against the non-performance, 't was a fear
Which oft infects the wisest: these, my lord,
Are such allowed infirmities that honesty
Is never free of. But, beseech your grace,
Be plainer with me; let me know my trespass

By its own visage: if I then deny it

'Tis none of mine.

Leontes in answer breaks out into an incoherent speech, calling his wife the worst of names.

Camillo's indignation is

not only noble in itself, but it shows the opinion entertained

of Queen Hermione by all the court.

Camillo. I would not be a stander-by to hear
My sovereign mistress clouded so, without
My present vengeance taken: 'shrew my heart,
You never spoke what did become you less

enes.

Than this; which to reiterate were sin

As deep as that— 'though true.

Then Leontes raves like a madman, and without any diplomatic preparation, proposes to Camillo to poison PolixCamillo tries to temporize, to make terms for Hermione, - to let this storm blow over. He has no intention, I am sure, of murdering Polixenes, though he is sorely perplexed as to how he ought to act, being a good man rather than a quick-witted one. He speaks of Leontes as one "who in rebellion with himself would have all that are his so too."

I have dwelt long on this scene because it seems to me a very wonderful one, and I have never known it commented upon. Leontes, promising Camillo to seem friendly to his guest, goes out, and in a few moments Polixenes enters. He has encountered Leontes, who, instead of keeping his promise to Camillo, has not been willing to speak to him.

Polixenes cannot understand what is going on, and is anxious to get some light upon the mystery from Camillo. By degrees he draws the truth from the old Councillor, who is willing, yet ashamed to tell it, conscious, too, that he is sacrificing his own prospects in life, but faithful to his duty and his Queen. The amazement of Polixenes at the revelation is great, and his repudiation of the baseness attributed to him is more in sorrow than in anger. Camillo says truly that the sea might as soon be forbidden to obey the moon as Leontes be by any means convinced of his own folly. The only thing to be done is for Polixenes, accompanied by Camillo, to put to sea immediately. In Polixenes' last speech you will observe that he expresses no amazement at the monstrous wickedness of Leontes. He has known his way

wardness of old. He thinks that when he himself is out of the way his friend will recover his temper and his senses.

Be pilot to me, and thy places shall

Still neighbor mine. My ships are ready
And my people did expect my hence departure
Two days ago. This jealousy

Is for a precious creature; as she's rare
Must it be great; and, as his person's mighty
Must it be violent; and, as he does conceive
He is dishonored by a man which ever
Professed to love him, his revenges must

In that be made more bitter. Fear o'ershades me:
Good expedition be my friend, and comfort

The gracious Queen! . . . Come, Camillo ;
I will respect thee as a father if

Thou bear'st my life off hence. . . .

Camillo. It is in mine authority to command
The keys of all the posterns. Please your highness
To take the urgent hour: come, sir, away!

Acr II. Scene 1.

She is pre

This act opens in Hermione's apartments. occupied, anxious, and far from well; her little son worries. her, and she asks the ladies round her to take him for a time away from her. They try to excite the boy's jealousy by predicting that his mother will soon have a fine new prince, and will not care for him; but Mamillius has not his father's disposition. His mother, returning, asks him to sit by her and tell her a fairy story. "Come on, and do your best to fright me with your sprites; you're powerful at it!" But the story gets no further than "There was a man dwelt by a church-yard," when it is interrupted by the entrance of Leontes and his courtiers. He is furious at