The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 3: Books for ChildrenLamb, Charles
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The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 3: Books for Children
Lamb, Charles
Children's poetry; Children's stories
She, who at Metaline had so carefully concealed her birth, ashamed to
tell that one of royal ancestry was now a slave, first began to speak
to Pericles of the wayward changes in her own fate, telling him from
what a high estate herself had fallen. As if she had known it was her
royal father she stood before, all the words she spoke were of her own
sorrows; but her reason for so doing was, that she knew nothing more
wins the attention of the unfortunate than the recital of some sad
calamity to match their own. The sound of her sweet voice aroused the
drooping prince; he lifted up his eyes, which had been so long fixed
and motionless; and Marina, who was the perfect image of her mother,
presented to his amazed sight the features of his dead queen. The
long-silent prince was once more heard to speak. "My dearest wife,"
said the awakened Pericles, "was like this maid, and such a one might
my daughter have been. My queen's square brows, her stature to an
inch, as wand-like straight, as silver-voiced, her eyes as jewel-like.
Where do you live, young maid? Report your parentage. I think you said
you had been tossed from wrong to injury, and that you thought your
griefs would equal mine, if both were opened." "Some such thing I
said," replied Marina, "and said no more than what my thoughts did
warrant me as likely." "Tell me your story," answered Pericles; "if
I find you have known the thousandth part of my endurance, you have
borne your sorrows like a man, and I have suffered like a girl;
yet you do look like Patience gazing on kings' graves, and smiling
Extremity out of act. Tell me your name, my most kind virgin? Recount
your story, I beseech you. Come, sit by me." How was Pericles
surprised when she said her name was _Marina_, for he knew it was
no usual name, but had been invented by himself for his own child
to signify _sea-born_: "O, I am mocked," said he, "and you are sent
hither by some incensed god to make the world laugh at me." "Patience,
good sir," said Marina, "or I must cease here." "Nay," said Pericles,
"I will be patient; you little know how you do startle me, to call
yourself Marina." "The name," she replied, "was given me by one that
had some power, my father, and a king." "How, a king's daughter!" said
Pericles, "and called Marina! But are you flesh and blood? Are you no
fairy? Speak on; where were you born? and wherefore called Marina?"
She replied, "I was called Marina, because I was born at sea. My
mother was the daughter of a king; she died the minute I was born, as
my good nurse Lychorida has often told me weeping. The king my father
left me at Tharsus, till the cruel wife of Cleon sought to murder
me. A crew of pirates came and rescued me, and brought me here to
Metaline. But, good sir, why do you weep? It may be, you think me an
impostor. But indeed, sir, I am the daughter to king Pericles, if good
king Pericles be living." Then Pericles, terrified as it seemed at
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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