the golden asse-第22章

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s　a　goddesse　she　had　voices　to　serve　her；　and　the　windes　did　obey　her。

But　I　poore　wretch　have　first　married　an　husband　elder　than　my　father；　more　bald　than　a　Coot；　more　weake　than　a　childe；　and　that　locketh　me　up　all　day　in　the　house。

Then　said　the　other　sister；　And　in　faith　I　am　married　to　a　husband　that　hath　the　gout；　twyfold；　crooked；　nor　couragious　in　paying　my　debt；　I　am　faine　to　rub　and　mollifie　his　stony　fingers　with　divers　sorts　of　oyles；　and　to　wrap　them　in　playsters　and　salves；　so　that　I　soyle　my　white　and　dainty　hands　with　the　corruption　of　filthy　clouts；　not　using　my　self　like　a　wife；　but　more　like　a　servant。　　And　you　my　sister　seem　likewise　to　be　in　bondage　and　servitude；　wherefore　I　cannot　abide　to　see　our　younger　sister　in　such　felicity；　saw　you　not　I　pray　you　how　proudly　and　arrogantly　she　handled　us　even　now？　And　how　in　vaunting　her　selfe　she　uttered　her　presumptuous　minde；　how　she　cast　a　little　gold　into　our　laps；　and　being　weary　of　our　company；　commanded　that　we　should　be　borne　and　blown　away？

Verily　I　live　not；　nor　am　a　woman；　but　I　will　deprive　her　of　all　her　blisse。　　And　if　you　my　sister　bee　so　far　bent　as　I；　let　us　consult　together；　and　not　to　utter　our　minde　to　any　person；　no　not　to　our　parents；　nor　tell　that　ever　we　saw　her。　　For　it　sufficeth　that　we　have　seene　her；　whom　it　repenteth　to　have　seene。　　Neither　let　us　declare　her　good　fortune　to　our　father；　nor　to　any　other；　since　as　they　seeme　not　happy　whose　riches　are　unknowne　：　so　shall　she　know　that　she　hath　sisters　no　Abjects；　but　worthier　than　she。

But　now　let　us　goe　home　to　our　husbands　and　poore　houses；　and　when　we　are　better　instructed；　let　us　return　to　suppresse　her　pride。　So　this　evill　counsell　pleased　these　two　evil　women；　and　they　hid　the　treasure　which　Psyches　gave　them；　and　tare　their　haire；　renewing　their　false　and　forged　teares。　　When　their　father　and　mother　beheld　them　weep　and　lament　still；　they　doubled　their　sorrowes　and　griefes；　but　full　of　yre　and　forced　with　Envy；　they　tooke　their　voyage　homeward；　devising　the　slaughter　and　destruction　of　their　sister。

In　the　meane　season　the　husband　of　Psyches　did　warne　her　againe　in　the　night　with　these　words　：　Seest　thou　not　（quoth　he）　what　perill　and　danger　evill　fortune　doth　threaten　unto　thee；　whereof　if　thou　take　not　good　heed　it　will　shortly　come　upon　thee。　　For　the　unfaithfull　harlots　doe　greatly　endeavor　to　set　their　snares　to　catch　thee；　and　their　purpose　is　to　make　and　perswade　thee　to　behold　my　face；　which　if　thou　once　fortune　to　see；　as　I　have　often　told；　thou　shalt　see　no　more。　　Wherfore　if　these　naughty　hagges；　armed　with　wicked　minds；　doe　chance　to　againe　（as　I　think　no　otherwise　but　that　they　will）　take　heed　that　thou　talk　not　with　them　but　simply　suffer　them　to　speake　what　they　will；　howbeit　if　thou　canst　not　refraine　thy　selfe；　beware　that　thou　have　no　communication　of　thy　husband；　nor　answer　a　word　if　they　fortune　to　question　　of　me；　so　will　we　encrease　our　stocke；　and　this　young　and　tender　childe；　couched　in　this　young　and　tender　belly　of　thine；　shall　be　made　an　immortall　god；　otherwise　a　mortal　creature。　　Then　Psyches　was　very　glad　that　she　should　bring　forth　a　divine　babe；　and　very　joyfull　in　that　she　should　be　honored　as　a　mother。　　She　reckened　and　numbered　carefully　the　days　and　months　that　passed；　and　beeing　never　with　child　before；　did　marvel　greatly　that　in　so　short　a　time　her　belly　should　swel　so　big。　　But　those　pestilent　and　wicked　furies　breathing　out　their　Serpentine　poyson；　took　shipping　to　bring　their　enterprise　to　passe。　　The　Psyches　was　warned　again　by　her　husband　in　this　sort　：　Behold　the　last　day；　the　extream　case；　and　the　enemies　of　thy　blood；　hath　armed　themselves　against　us；　pitched　their　campe；　set　their　host　in　array；　and　are　marching　towards　us；　for　now　thy　two　sisters　have　drawn　their　swords　and　are　ready　to　slay　thee。　　O　with　what　force　are　we　assailed　on　this　day！　　O　sweet　Psyches　I　pray　thee　to　take　pitty　on　thy　selfe；　of　me；　and　deliver　thy　husband　and　this　infant　within　thy　belly　from　so　great　danger；　and　see　not；　neither　heare　these　cursed　women；　which　are　not　worthy　to　be　called　thy　sisters；　for　their　great　hatred　and　breach　of　sisterly　amity；　for　they　wil　come　like　Syrens　to　the　mountains；　and　yeeld　out　their　pittious　and　　lamentable　cries。　　When　Psyches　had　heard　these　words　she　sighed　sorrowfully　and　said；　O　deare　husband　this　long　time　have　you　had　experience　and　triall　of　my　faith；　and　doubt　you　not　that　I　will　persever　in　the　same；　wherefore　command　your　winde　Zephyrus；　that　hee　may　doe　as　hee　hath　done　before；　to　the　intent　that　where　you　have　charged　me　not　to　behold　your　venerable　face；　yet　that　I　may　comfort　myself　with　the　sight　of　my　sisters。　　I　pray　you　by　these　beautifull　haires；　by　these　round　cheekes　delicate　and　tender；　by　your　pleasant　hot　breast；　whose　shape　and　face　I　shall　learn　at　length　by　the　childe　in　my　belly；　grant　the　fruit　of　my　desire；　refresh　your　deare　Spowse　Psyches　with　joy；　who　is　bound　and　linked　unto　you　for　ever。　　I　little　esteeme　to　see　your　visage　and　figure；　little　doe　I　regard　the　night　and　darknesse　thereof；　for　you　are　my　only　light。

Her　husband　being　as　it　were　inchanted　with　these　words　and　compelled　by　violence　of　her　often　embracing；　wiping　away　her　teares　with　his　haire；　did　yeeld　unto　his　wife。　　And　when　morning　came；　departed　as　hee　was　accustomed　to　doe。

Now　her　sisters　arrived　on　land；　and　never　rested　til　they　came　to　the　rock；　without　visiting　their　parents；　and　leapt　down　rashly　from　the　hill　themselves。　　Then　Zephyrus　according　to　the　divine　commandment　brought　them　down；　although　it　were　against　his　wil；　and　laid　them　in　the　vally　without　any　harm　：　by　and　by　they　went　into　the　palace　to　their　sister　without　leave；　and　when　they　had　eftsoone　embraced　their　prey；　and　thanked　her　with　flattering　words　for　the　treasure　which　she　gave　them；　they　said；　O　deare　sister　Psyches；　know　you　that　you　are　now　no　more　a　child；　but　a　mother　：　O　what　great　joy　beare　you　unto　us　in　your　belly？　　　What　a　comfort　will　it　be　unto　all　the　house？　　How　happy　shall　we　be；　that　shall　see　this　Infant　nourished　amongst　so　great　plenty　of　Treasure？　That　if　he　be　like　his　parents；　as　it　is　necessary　he　should；　there　is　no　doubt　but　a　new　cupid　shall　be　borne。　　By　this　kinde　of　measures　they　went　about　to　winne　Psyches　by　little　and　little；　but　because　they　were　wearie　with　travell；　they　sate　them　downe　in　chaires；　and　after　that　they　had　washed　their　bodies　in　baines　they　went　into　a　parlour；　where　all　kinde　of　meats　were　ready　prepared。　　Psyches　commanded　one　to　play　with　his　harpe；　it　was　done。　　Then　immediately　others　sung；　others　tuned　their　instruments；　but　no　person　was　seene；　by　whose　sweet　harmony　and　modulation　the　sisters　of　Psyches　were　greatly　delighted。

Howbeit　the　wickednesse　of　these　cursed　women　was　nothing　suppressed　by　the　sweet　noyse　of　these　instruments；　but　they　settled　themselves　to　work　their　treasons　against　Psyches；　demanding　who　was　her　husband；　and　of　what　Parentage。　　Then　shee　having　forgotten　by　too　much　simplicity；　what　shee　had　spoken　before　of　her　husband；　invented　a　new　answer；　and　said　that　her　husband　was　of　a　great　province；　a　merchant；　and　a　man　of　middle　age；　having　his　beard　intersparsed　with　grey　haires。　Which　when　shee　had　spoken　（because　shee　would　have　no　further　talke）　she　filled　their　laps　with　Gold　and　Silver；　and　bid　Zephyrus　to　bear　them　away。

In　their　returne　homeward　they　murmured　within　themselves；　saying；　How　say　you　sister　to　so　apparent　a　lye　of　Psyches？　　First　she　sayd　that　her　husband　was　a　young　man　of　flourishing　yeares；　and　had　a　flaxen　beard；　and　now　she　sayth　that　he　is　halfe　grey　with　age。　　What　is　he　that　in　so　short　a　space　can　become　so　old？　You　shall　finde　it　no　otherwise　my　sister；　but　that　either　this　cursed　queane　hath　invented　a　great　lie；　or　else　that　she　never　saw　the　shape　of　her　husband。　　And　if　it　be　so　that　she　never　saw　him；　then　verily　she　is　married　to　some　god；　and　hath　a　young　god　in　her　belly。　　But　if　it　be　a　divine　babe；　and　fortune　to　come　to　the　eares　of　my　mother　（as　God　forbid　it　should）　then　may　I　go　and　hang　my　selfe　：　wherfore　let　us　go　to　our　parents；　and　with　forged　lies　let　us　colour　the　matter。

After　they