Read Perdita for Free Online Page B

longevitysleuth.
    â€œAt least you have her diaries,” she said, shooing Mars away from the table. “Surely they’ll help you clear up who sheis.”
    â€œI don’t think the diaries are actually hers.” I watched her fill up my water glass. “But I’ve agreed to read them. And since she seems a bit anxious about it, I’ll probably starttonight.”
    Then I thought of something. “Clare, you were an English major, weren’t you? When I spoke with her, Miss Brice kept mentioning a name. Perdita.”
    â€œPerdita. That’s from Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale.”
    â€œDo you remember it?” I took another mouthful of the pie, determined that she send Donna a good report. “Even the bare bones of the plot might helpme.”
    â€œOh, I know the story quite well. It’s a rather complicated plot, but the story begins with a jealous king: King Leontes of Sicilia. He accuses his beautiful and virtuous wife of having an affair with another king—Polixenes—who happens to be visiting. Queen Hermione is innocent, but the king doesn’t believeher.”
    I slipped Mars a piece of crust and surreptitiously dropped a wedge of chicken for Farley by myfoot.
    â€œThe jealous king unsuccessfully tries to poison his suspected rival,” Clare continued, “and he throws poor Queen Hermione into prison. He then sends emissaries to the Oracle of Delphi to verify his suspicions. In the meantime, Hermione has a baby in prison, and her maid, Paulina, brings it to the king, hoping that he will soften at the sight of thebaby.”
    â€œAnd doeshe?”
    â€œThat would make things much too easy! King Leontes is furious, convinced it’s not his child, and sends the baby off with his servant, Antigonus—ordering him to get rid ofit.”
    â€œI’m assuming the babysurvives?”
    â€œYes. Antigonus leaves the infant on the coast of Bohemia—with a nice, big bag of gold—and she is rescued by a kindhearted shepherd and given the name Perdita. Her name means the ‘lostone.’”
    â€œDon’t tell me this all has a happyending.”
    â€œOh, Shakespeare was pretty skilled at reconciling the impossible threads of an impossibleplot!”
    â€œGo on,” I said, intrigued by the idea of a “lost” child.
    â€œWell, much to the king’s consternation, the Oracle confirms that the queen and Polixenes are innocent. Then Paulina tells him that his wife has died in prison. The king is heartbroken and terribly remorseful. He also learns his son has just died and now he will have no heir unless the daughter he has just abandoned is found. It gets even more complicatedbut—”
    â€œMaybe you should just tell me what happens toPerdita.”
    â€œPerdita grows up to be a beautiful young woman. Her true identity as a princess is eventually revealed, and she’s reunited with herparents.”
    â€œReunited? With a father who wanted to get rid of her? And I thought her mother wasdead.”
    â€œOh, His Royal Highness is very, very sorry for all hismisdeeds…”
    â€œAh, the remorse oftyrants!”
    â€œâ€¦and as for the Queen, she was never really dead, but hidden away by her faithful maid. Perdita eventually marries a handsome prince, Florizel, who also happens to be the son ofPolixenes—”
    â€œGood grief!” I interrupted. “What aplot!”
    Clare laughed and began gathering up the plates. “It’s actually a wonderful play. I was in two productions of it at college. I played Perdita as a frosh and then Hermione in my senioryear.”
    â€œTwo leading roles!” I was impressed. “Which did you likebetter?”
    â€œI don’t know,” she said, suddenly stopping. “You know, I’ve never asked myself that question before.” She looked past me, frowning. “There’s a truly wonderful scene at the very end; in