the golden asse-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


u　never　leave　off　stealing　of　young　mens　haires？　　In　faith　I　assure　you；　unlesse　you　cease　your　wicked　sorceries；　I　will　complaine　to　the　Justices。　Wherewithall　he　came　angerly　towards　me；　and　tooke　away　the　haire　which　I　had　gathered；　out　of　my　apron　：　which　grieved　me　very　much；　for　I　knew　my　Mistresses　manners；　that　she　would　not　be　contented　but　beat　me　cruelly。

Wherefore　I　intended　to　runne　away；　but　the　remembrance　of　you　put　alwayes　the　thought　out　of　my　minde；　and　so　I　came　homeward　very　sorrowful　：　but　because　I　would　not　seeme　to　come　to　my　mistresse　sight　with　empty　hands；　I　saw　a　man　shearing　of　blowne　goat　skinnes；　and　the　hayre　which　he　had　shorne　off　was　yellow；　and　much　resembled　the　haire　of　the　Boetian；　and　I　tooke　a　good　deale　thereof；　and　colouring　of　the　matter；　I　brought　it　to　my　mistresse。　　And　so　when　night　came；　before　your　return　form　supper；　she　to　bring　her　purpose　to　passe；　went　up　to　a　high　Gallery　of　her　house；　opening　to　the　East　part　of　the　world；　and　preparing　her　selfe　according　to　her　accustomed　practise；　shee　gathered　together　all　substance　for　fumigations；　she　brought　forth　plates　of　mettal　carved　with　strange　characters；　she　prepared　the　bones　of　such　as　were　drowned　by　tempest　in　the　seas；　she　made　ready　the　members　of　dead　men；　as　the　nosethrils　and　fingers；　shee　set　out　the　lumps　of　flesh　of　such　as　were　hanged；　the　blood　which　she　had　reserved　of　such　as　were　slaine　and　the　jaw　bones　and　teeth　of　willed　beasts；　then　she　said　certaine　charmes　over　the　haire；　and　dipped　it　in　divers　waters；　as　in　Wel　water；　Cow　milk；　mountain　honey；　and　other　liquor。　　Which　when　she　had　done；　she　tied　and　lapped　it　up　together；　and　with　many　perfumes　and　smells　threw　it　into　an　hot　fire　to　burn。　　Then　by　the　great　force　of　this　sorcerie；　and　the　violence　of　so　many　confections；　those　bodies　whose　haire　was　burning　in　the　fire；　received　humane　shape；　and　felt；　heard　and　walked　：　　And　smelling　the　sent　of　their　owne　haire；　came　and　rapped　at　our　doores　in　stead　of　Boetius。　Then　you　being　well　tipled；　and　deceived　by　the　obscurity　of　the　night；　drew　out　your　sword　courageously　like　furious　Ajax；　and　kild　not　as　he　did；　whole　heard　of　beastes；　but　three　blowne　skinnes；　to　the　intent　that　I；　after　the　slaughter　of　so　many　enemies；　without　effusion　of　bloud　might　embrace　and　kisse；　not　an　homicide　but　an　Utricide。

Thus　when　I　was　pleasantly　mocked　and　taunted　by　Fotis；　I　sayd　unto　her；　verily　now　may　I　for　this　atcheived　enterprise　be　numbered　as　Hercules；　who　by　his　valiant　prowesse　performed　the　twelve　notable　Labors；　as　Gerion　with　three　bodies；　and　as　Cerberus　with　three　heads；　for　I　have　slaine　three　blown　goat　skinnes。　　But　to　the　end　that　I　may　pardon　thee　of　that　thing　which　though　hast　committed；　perform；　the　thing　which　I　most　earnestly　desire　of　thee；　that　is；　bring　me　that　I　may　see　and　behold　when　thy　mistresse　goeth　about　any　Sorcery　or　enchantment；　and　when　she　prayeth　unto　the　gods　：　for　I　am　very　desirous　to　learne　that　art；　and　as　it　seemeth　unto　mee；　thou　thy　selfe　hath　some　experience　in　the　same。　　For　this　I　know　and　plainly　feele；　That　whereas　I　have　always　yrked　and　loathed　the　embrace　of　Matrones；　I　am　so　stricken　and　subdued　with　thy　shining　eyes；　　ruddy　cheekes；　glittering　haire；　sweet　cosses；　and　lilly　white　paps；　that　I　have　neither　minde　to　goe　home；　nor　to　depart　hence；　but　esteeme　the　pleasure　which　I　shall　have　with　thee　this　night；　above　all　the　joyes　of　the　world。　　Then　（quoth　she）　O　my　Lucius；　how　willing　would　I　be　to　fulfil　your　desire；　but　by　reason　shee　is　so　hated；　she　getteth　her　selfe　into　solitary　places；　and　out　of　the　presence　of　every　person；　when　she　mindeth　to　work　her　enchantments。　　Howbeit　I　regarde　more　to　gratify　your　request；　than　I　doe　esteeme　the　danger　of　my　life　：　and　when　I　see　opportunitie　and　time　I　will　assuredly　bring　you　word；　　so　that　you　shal　see　all　her　enchantments；　but　always　upon　this　condition；　that　you　secretly　keepe　close　such　things　as　are　done。

Thus　as　we　reasoned　together　the　courage　of　Venus　assailed；　as　well　our　desires　as　our　members；　and　so　she　unrayed　herself　and　came　to　bed；　and　we　passed　the　night　in　pastime　and　dalliance；　till　as　by　drowsie　and　unlusty　sleep　I　was　constrained　to　lie　still。



THE　SIXTEENTH　CHAPTER


How　Fotis　brought　Apuleius　to　see　her　Mistresse　enchant。

On　a　day　Fotis　came　running　to　me　in　great　feare；　and　said　that　her　mistresse；　to　work　her　sorceries　on　such　as　shee　loved；　intended　the　night　following　to　transforme　her　selfe　into　a　bird；　and　to　fly　whither　she　pleased。　　Wherefore　she　willed　me　privily　to　prepare　my　selfe　to　see　the　same。　　And　when　midnight　came　she　led　me　softly　into　a　high　chamber；　and　bid　me　look　thorow　the　chink　of　a　doore　：　where　first　I　saw　how　shee　put　off　all　her　garments；　and　took　out　of　a　certain　coffer　sundry　kindes　of　Boxes；　of　the　which　she　opened　one；　and　tempered　the　ointment　therein　with　her　fingers；　and　then　rubbed　her　body　therewith　from　the　sole　of　the　foot　to　the　crowne　of　the　head；　and　when　she　had　spoken　privily　with　her　selfe；　having　the　candle　in　her　hand；　she　shaked　the　parts　of　her　body；　and　behold；　I　perceived　a　plume　of　feathers　did　burgen　out；　her　　nose　waxed　crooked　and　hard；　her　nailes　turned　into　clawes；　and　so　she　became　an　Owle。　　Then　she　cried　and　screeched　like　a　bird　of　that　kinde；　and　willing　to　proove　her　force；　mooved　her　selfe　from　the　ground　by　little　and　little；　til　at　last　she　flew　quite　away。

Thus　by　her　sorcery　shee　transformed　her　body　into　what　shape　she　would。　　Which　when　I　saw　I　was　greatly　astonied　：　and　although　I　was　inchanted　by　no　kind　of　charme；　yet　I　thought　that　I　seemed　not　to　have　the　likenesse　of　Lucius；　for　so　was　I　banished　from　my　sences；　amazed　in　madnesse；　and　so　I　dreamed　waking；　that　I　felt　myne　eyes；　whether　I　were　asleepe　or　no。　　But　when　I　was　come　againe　to　my　selfe；　I　tooke　Fotis　by　the　hand；　and　moved　it　to　my　face　and　said；　I　pray　thee　while　occasion　doth　serve；　that　I　may　have　the　fruition　of　the　fruits　of　my　desire；　and　grant　me　some　of　this　oyntment。　　O　Fotis　I　pray　thee　by　thy　sweet　paps；　to　make　that　in　the　great　flames　of　my　love　I　may　be　turned　into　a　bird；　so　I　will　ever　hereafter　be　bound　unto　you；　and　obedient　to　your　commandement。　　Then　said　Fotis；　Wil　you　go　about　to　deceive　me　now；　and　inforce　me　to　work　my　own　sorrow？　　Are　you　in　the　mind　that　you　will　not　tarry　in　Thessaly？　　If　you　be　a　bird；　where　shall　I　seek　you；　and　when　shall　I　see　you？　Then　answered　I；　God　forbid　that　I　should　commit　such　a　crime；　for　though　I　could　fly　in　the　aire　as　an　Eagle　or　though　I　were　the　messenger　of　Jupiter；　yet　would　I　have　recourse　to　nest　with　thee　：　and　I　swear　by　the　knot　of　thy　amiable　hair；　that　since　the　time　I　first　loved　thee；　I　never　fancied　any　other　person　：　moreover；　this　commeth　to　my　minde；　that　if　by　the　vertue　of　the　oyntment　I　shall　become　an　Owle；　　I　will　take　heed　I　will　come　nigh　no　mans　house　：　for　I　am　not　to　learn；　how　these　matrons　would　handle　their　lovers；　if　they　knew　that　they　were　transformed　into　Owles　：　Moreover；　when　they　are　taken　in　any　place　they　are　nayled　upon　posts；　　and　so　they　are　worthily　rewarded；　because　it　is　thought　that　they　bring　evill　fortune　to　the　house。　　　But　I　pray　you　（which　I　had　almost　forgotten）　to　tell　me　by　what　meanes　when　I　am　an　Owle；　I　shall　return　to　my　pristine　shape；　and　become　Lucius　againe。　　Feare　not　（quoth　she）　for　my　mistres　hath　taught　me　the　way　to　bring　that　to　passe；　neither　thinke　you　that　she　did　it　for　any　good　will　and　favour；　but　to　the　end　that　I　might　help　her；　and　minister　some　remedy　when　she　returneth　home。

Consider　I　pray　you　with　your　selfe；　with　what　frivolous　trifles　so　marvellous　a　thing　is　wrought　：　for　by　Hercules　I　swear　I　give　her　nothing　else　save　a　little　Dill　and　Lawrell　leaves；　in　Well　water；　　the　which　she　drinketh　and　washeth　her　selfe　withall。　　Which　when　she　had　spoken　she　went　into　the　chamber　and　took　a　box　out　of　the　coffer；　which　I　first　kissed　and　embraced；　and　prayed　that　I　might　＇have＇　good　successe　in　my　purpose。　　And　then　I　put　off　all　my　garments；　and　greedily　thrust　my　hand　into　the　box；　and　took　out　a　good　deale　of　oyntment　and　rubbed　my　selfe　withall。



THE　SEVENTEENTH　CHAPTER


Ho