；　fell　deep　in　love　with　her；　and　would　have　married　her；　but　that　he　thought　she　must　be　of　too　humble　parentage　to　become　the　wife　of　one　in　his　high　position。
  The　wicked　Dionyza　believed；　from　her　servant's　report；　that　Marina　was　really　dead；　and　so　she　put　up　a　monument　to　her　memory；　and　showed　it　to　King　Pericles；　when　after　long　years　of　absence　he　came　to　see　his　much…loved　child。　　When　he　heard　that　she　was　dead；　his　grief　was　terrible　to　see。　　He　set　sail　once　more；　and　putting　on　sackcloth；　vowed　never　to　wash　his　face　or　cut　his　hair　again。　　There　was　a　pavilion　erected　on　deck；　and　there　he　lay　alone；　and　for　three　months　he　spoke　word　to　none。
  At　last　it　chanced　that　his　ship　came　into　the　port　of　Mitylene；　and　Lysimachus；　the　Governor；　went　on　board　to　enquire　whence　the　vessel　came。　　When　he　heard　the　story　of　Pericles'　sorrow　and　silence；　he　bethought　him　of　Marina；　and　believing　that　she　could　rouse　the　King　from　his　stupor；　sent　for　her　and　bade　her　try　her　utmost　to　persuade　the　King　to　speak；　promising　whatever　reward　she　would；　if　she　succeeded。　　Marina　gladly　obeyed；　and　sending　the　rest　away；　she　sat　and　sang　to　her　poor　grief…laden　father；　yet；　sweet　as　was　her　voice；　he　made　no　sign。　　So　presently　she　spoke　to　him；　saying　that　her　grief　might　equal　his；　for；　though　she　was　a　slave；　she　came　from　ancestors　that　stood　equal　to　mighty　kings。
  Something　in　her　voice　and　story　touched　the　King's　heart；　and　he　looked　up　at　her；　and　as　he　looked；　he　saw　with　wonder　how　like　she　was　to　his　lost　wife；　so　with　a　great　hope　springing　up　in　his　heart；　he　bade　her　tell　her　story。
  Then；　with　many　interruptions　from　the　King；　she　told　him　who　she　was　and　how　she　had　escaped　from　the　cruel　Dionyza。　　So　Pericles　knew　that　this　was　indeed　his　daughter；　and　he　kissed　her　again　and　again；　crying　that　his　great　seas　of　joy　drowned　him　with　their　sweetness。　　〃Give　me　my　robes；〃　he　said：　〃O　Heaven；　bless　my　girl！〃
  Then　there　came　to　him；　though　none　else　could　hear　it；　the　sound　of　heavenly　music；　and　falling　asleep；　he　beheld　the　goddess　Diana；　in　a　vision。
  〃Go；〃　she　said　to　him；　〃to　my　temple　at　Ephesus；　and　when　my　maiden　priests　are　met　together；　reveal　how　thou　at　sea　didst　lose　thy　wife。〃
  Pericles　obeyed　the　goddess　and　told　his　tale　before　her　altar。　Hardly　had　he　made　an　end；　when　the　chief　priestess；　crying　out；　〃You　areyou　areO　royal　Pericles！〃　fell　fainting　to　the　ground；　and　presently　recovering；　she　spoke　again　to　him；　〃O　my　lord；　are　you　not　Pericles？〃　　〃The　voice　of　dead　Thaisa！〃　exclaimed　the　King　in　wonder。　　〃That　Thaisa　am　I；〃　she　said；　and　looking　at　her　he　saw　that　she　spoke　the　very　truth。
  Thus　Pericles　and　Thaisa；　after　long　and　bitter　suffering；　found　happiness　once　more；　and　in　the　joy　of　their　meeting　they　forgot　the　pain　of　the　past。　　To　Marina　great　happiness　was　given；　and　not　only　in　being　restored　to　her　dear　parents；　for　she　married　Lysimachus；　and　became　a　princess　in　the　land　where　she　had　been　sold　as　a　slave。
  HAMLET
  Hamlet　was　the　only　son　of　the　King　of　Denmark。　　He　loved　his　father　and　mother　dearlyand　was　happy　in　the　love　of　a　sweet　lady　named　Ophelia。　　Her　father；　Polonius；　was　the　King's　Chamberlain。
  While　Hamlet　was　away　studying　at　Wittenberg；　his　father　died。　Young　Hamlet　hastened　home　in　great　grief　to　hear　that　a　serpent　had　stung　the　King；　and　that　he　was　dead。　　The　young　Prince　had　loved　his　father　so　tenderly　that　you　may　judge　what　he　felt　when　he　found　that　the　Queen；　before　yet　the　King　had　been　laid　in　the　ground　a　month；　had　determined　to　marry　againand　to　marry　the　dead　King's　brother。
  Hamlet　refused　to　put　off　mourning　for　the　wedding。
  〃It　is　not　only　the　black　I　wear　on　my　body；〃　he　said；　〃that　proves　my　loss。　　I　wear　mourning　in　my　heart　for　my　dead　father。　　His　son　at　least　remembers　him；　and　grieves　still。〃
  Then　said　Claudius　the　King's　brother；　〃This　grief　is　unreasonable。　Of　course　you　must　sorrow　at　the　loss　of　your　father；　but〃
  〃Ah；〃　said　Hamlet；　bitterly；　〃I　cannot　in　one　little　month　forget　those　I　love。〃
  With　that　the　Queen　and　Claudius　left　him；　to　make　merry　over　their　wedding；　forgetting　the　poor　good　King　who　had　been　so　kind　to　them　both。
  And　Hamlet；　left　alone；　began　to　wonder　and　to　question　as　to　what　he　ought　to　do。　　For　he　could　not　believe　the　story　about　the　snake…bite。　　It　seemed　to　him　all　too　plain　that　the　wicked　Claudius　had　killed　the　King；　so　as　to　get　the　crown　and　marry　the　Queen。　Yet　he　had　no　proof；　and　could　not　accuse　Claudius。
  And　while　he　was　thus　thinking　came　Horatio；　a　fellow　student　of　his；　from　Wittenberg。
  〃What　brought　you　here？〃　asked　Hamlet；　when　he　had　greeted　his　friend　kindly。
  〃I　came；　my　lord；　to　see　your　father's　funeral。〃
  〃I　think　it　was　to　see　my　mother's　wedding；〃　said　Hamlet；　bitterly。　〃My　father！　　We　shall　not　look　upon　his　like　again。〃
  〃My　lord；〃　answered　Horatio；　〃I　think　I　saw　him　yesternight。〃
  Then；　while　Hamlet　listened　in　surprise；　Horatio　told　how　he；　with　two　gentlemen　of　the　guard；　had　seen　the　King's　ghost　on　the　battlements。　　Hamlet　went　that　night；　and　true　enough；　at　midnight；　the　ghost　of　the　King；　in　the　armor　he　had　been　wont　to　wear；　appeared　on　the　battlements　in　the　chill　moonlight。　　Hamlet　was　a　brave　youth。　　Instead　of　running　away　from　the　ghost　he　spoke　to　itand　when　it　beckoned　him　he　followed　it　to　a　quiet　place；　and　there　the　ghost　told　him　that　what　he　had　suspected　was　true。　The　wicked　Claudius　had　indeed　killed　his　good　brother　the　King；　by　dropping　poison　into　his　ear　as　he　slept　in　his　orchard　in　the　afternoon。
  〃And　you；〃　said　the　ghost；　〃must　avenge　this　cruel　murder　on　my　wicked　brother。　　But　do　nothing　against　the　Queen　for　I　have　loved　her；　and　she　is　your　mother。　　Remember　me。〃
  Then　seeing　the　morning　approach；　the　ghost　vanished。
  〃Now；〃　said　Hamlet；　〃there　is　nothing　left　but　revenge。　　Remember　theeI　will　remember　nothing　elsebooks；　pleasure；　youthlet　all　goand　your　commands　alone　live　on　my　brain。〃
  So　when　his　friends　came　back　he　made　them　swear　to　keep　the　secret　of　the　ghost；　and　then　went　in　from　the　battlements；　now　gray　with　mingled　dawn　and　moonlight；　to　think　how　he　might　best　avenge　his　murdered　father。
  The　shock　of　seeing　and　hearing　his　father's　ghost　made　him　feel　almost　mad；　and　for　fear　that　his　uncle　might　notice　that　he　was　not　himself；　he　determined　to　hide　his　mad　longing　for　revenge　under　a　pretended　madness　in　other　matters。
  And　when　he　met　Ophelia；　who　loved　himand　to　whom　he　had　given　gifts；　and　letters；　and　many　loving　wordshe　behaved　so　wildly　to　her；　that　she　could　not　but　think　him　mad。　　For　she　loved　him　so　that　she　could　not　believe　he　would　be　as　cruel　as　this；　unless　he　were　quite　mad。　　So　she　told　her　father；　and　showed　him　a　pretty　letter　from　Hamlet。　　And　in　the　letter　was　much　folly；　and　this　pretty　verse
  〃Doubt　that　the　stars　are　fire；　　　　　　　　　　　Doubt　that　the　sun　doth　move；　　　　　　　　　Doubt　truth　to　be　a　liar；　　　　　　　　　　　But　never　doubt　I　love。〃
  And　from　that　time　everyone　believed　that　the　cause　of　Hamlet's　supposed　madness　was　love。
  Poor　Hamlet　was　very　unhappy。　　He　longed　to　obey　his　father's　ghostand　yet　he　was　too　gentle　and　kindly　to　wish　to　kill　another　man；　even　his　father's　murderer。　　And　sometimes　he　wondered　whether；　after　all；　the　ghost　spoke　truly。
  Just　at　this　time　some　actors　came　to　the　Court；　and　Hamlet　ordered　them　to　perform　a　certain　play　before　the　King　and　Queen。　　Now；　this　play　was　the　story　of　a　man　who　had　been　murdered　in　his　garden　by　a　near　relation；　who　afterwards　married　the　dead　man's　wife。
  You　may　imagine　the　feelings　of　the　wicked　King；　as　he　sat　on　his　throne；　with　the　Queen　beside　him　and　all　his　Court　around；　and　saw；　acted　on　the　stage；　the　very　wickedness　that　he　had　himself　done。　　And　when；　in　the　play；　the　wicked　relation　poured　poison　into　the　ear　of　the　sleeping　man；　the　wicked　Claudius　suddenly　rose；　and　staggered　from　the　roomthe　Queen　and　others　following。
  Then　said　Hamlet　to　his　friends
  〃Now　I　am　sure　the　ghost　spoke　true。　　For　if　Claudius　had　not　done　this　murder；　he　could　not　have　been　so　distressed　to　see　it　in　a　play。〃
  Now　the　Queen　sent　for　Hamlet；　by　the　King's　desire；　to　scold　him　for　his　conduct　during　the　play；　and　for　other　matters；　and　Claudius；　wishing　to　know　exactly　what　happened；　told　old　Polonius　to　hide　himself　behind　the　hangings　in　the　Queen's　room。　　And　as　they　talked；　the　Queen　got　frightened　at　Hamlet's　rough；　strange　words；　and　cried　for　help；　and　Polonius　behind　the　curtain　cried　out　too。　　Hamlet；　thinking　it　was　the　King　who　was　hidden　there；　thrust　with　his　sword　at　the　hangings；　and　killed；　not　the　King；　but　poor　old　Polonius。
  So　now　Hamlet　had　offended　his　uncle　and　his　mother；　and　by　bad　hap　killed　his　true　love's　father。
  〃Oh！　what　a　rash　and　bloody　deed　is　this；〃　cried　the　Queen。
  And　Hamlet　answered　bitterly；　〃Almost　as　bad　as　to　kill　a　king；　and　marry　his　brother。〃　　Then　Hamlet　told　the　Queen　plainly　all　his　thoughts　and　how　he　knew　of　the　murder；　and　begged　her；　at　least；　to　have　no　more　friendship　or　kindness　of　the　base　Claudius；　who　had　killed　the　good　King。　　And　as　they　spoke　the　King's　ghost　again　appeared　before　Hamlet；　but　the　Queen　could