12 THE WINTER'S TALE.

Bohemia, and then kiss his daughter again, and then the Prince F lorizel,
and then thank the old Alene for all his goodness.

Then Paulina, who had been high all these years in the ane s favour
because of her kindness to the Aeal Queen Hermione, said-——‘‘ I have a
statue made in the likeness of the dead queen, a piece many years
in doing, and performed by the rare Italian Master, Giulio Romano. I
keep it in a private house apart, and there, ever since you lost your
queen, I have gone twice or thrice a day. Will it please your
Majesty to go and see the statue ?”

So Leontes, and Polixenes, and Florizel, and Perdita, with Camillo
and thei attendants, went to Paulina’s house, and there was a heavy
purple curtain screening off an alcove ; and Paulina, with her hand on
the curtain, said—

“She was peerless when she was alive, and I do believe that her
dead likeness excels whatever yet you have looked upon, or that the hand
of man hath done. Therefore I keep it lonely, apart. But here it is,—
Behold, and say, ’tis well.”

And with that she drew back the curtain and showed them the
statue. The King gazed and gazed on the beautiful statue of his dead
wife, but said nothing.

“T like your silence,” said Paulina, “it the more shows off your
wonder ; but speak, is it not like her ?”

“It is almost herself,” said the King, “and yet, Paulina, Hermione
was not so much wrinkled, nothing like so old as this seems.”

“Qh, not by much,” said Polixenes.

“Ah,” said Paulina, “that is the cleverness of the carver, who
shows her to us as she would have been, had she lived till now.”

And still Leontes looked at the statue and could not take his eyes
away.

“Tf I had known,” said Paulina, “ that this poor image would so
have stirred your grief, and love, I would not have shown it to you.”

But he only ICEL ‘: Do not draw the curtain.”

“No, you must not look any longer,” said Paulina, “ or you will think
it moves.”

“Let be, let be!” said the King. “Would you not think it
breathed ?”