ing her
malicious disposition, would not trust her with real poison, but gave
her a drug which would do no other mischief than causing a person to
sleep with every appearance of death for a few hours. This mixture,
which Pisanio thought a choice cordial, he gave to Imogen, desiring
her, if she found herself ill upon the road, to take it; and so with
blessings and prayers for her safety and happy deliverance from her
undeserved troubles he left her.

Providence strangely directed Imogen's steps to the dwelling of her
two brothers, who had been stolen away in their infancy. Bellarius,
who stole them away, was a lord in the court of Cymbeline, and having
been falsely accused to the king of treason, and banished from the
court, in revenge he stole away the two sons of Cymbeline, and brought
them up in a forest, where he lived concealed in a cave. He stole them
through revenge, but he soon loved them as tenderly as if they had
been his own children, educated them carefully, and they grew up
fine youths, their princely spirits leading them to bold and daring
actions; and as they subsisted by hunting, they were active and hardy,
and were always pressing their supposed father to let them seek their
fortune in the wars.

At the cave where these youths dwelt it was Imogen's fortune to
arrive. She had lost her way in a large forest, through which her road
lay to Milford-Haven (from whence she meant to embark for Rome); and
being unable to find any place where she could purchase food, she was
with weariness and hunger almost dying; for it is not merely putting
on a man's apparel that will enable a young lady, tenderly brought
up, to bear the fatigue of wandering about lonely forests like a man.
Seeing this cave she entered, hoping to find some one within of whom
she could procure food. She found the cave empty, but looking about
she discovered some cold meat, and her hunger was so pressing, that
she could not wait for an invitation, but sat down, and began to eat.
"Ah!" said she, talking to herself; "I see a man's life is a tedious
one: how tired am I! for two nights together I have made the ground my
bed: my resolution helps me, or I should be sick. When Pisanio shewed
me Milford-Haven from the mountain-top, how near it seemed!" Then the
thoughts of her husband and his cruel mandate came across her, and she
said, "My dear Posthumus, thou art a false one!"

The two brothers of Imogen, who had been hunting with their reputed
fat