the golden asse-第31章

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pinion；　and　by　and　by　the　Maiden　was　unloosed　of　her　bonds；　who　seeing　the　young　man；　and　hearing　the　name　of　brothels　and　bawdy　Merchants；　began　to　wax　joyfull；　and　smiled　with　herself。　　Then　began　I　to　deeme　evill　of　the　generation　of　women；　when　as　I　saw　the　Maiden　（who　was　appointed　to　be　married　to　a　young　Gentleman；　and　who　so　greatly　desired　the　same）　was　now　delighted　with　the　talke　of　a　wicked　brothel　house；　and　other　things　dishonest。　　In　this　sort　the　consent　and　manners　of　women　depended　in　the　judgement　of　an　Asse。


　THE　TWENTY…SIXTH　CHAPTER

　How　all　the　Theeves　were　brought　asleepe　by　their　new　companion。

Then　the　young　man　spake　againe；　saying；　Masters；　why　goe　wee　not　about　to　make　our　prayers　unto　Mars；　touching　this　selling　of　the　Maiden；　and　to　seeke　for　other　companions。　But　as　farre　as　I　see；　here　is　no　other　manner　of　beast　to　make　sacrifice　withall；　nor　wine　sufficient　for　us　to　drinke。　　Let　me　have　（quoth　hee）　tenne　more　with　me；　and　wee　will　goe　to　the　next　Castle；　to　provide　for　meat　and　other　things　necessary。　　So　he　and　tenne　more　with　him；　went　their　way　：　In　the　meane　season；　the　residue　made　a　great　fire　and　an　Alter　with　greene　turfes　in　the　honour　of　Mars。　　By　and　by　after　they　came　againe；　bringing　with　them　bottles　of　wine；　and　a　great　number　of　beasts；　amongst　which　there　was　a　big　Ram　Goat；　fat；　old；　and　hairy；　which　they　killed　and　offered　unto　Mars。　　Then　supper　was　prepared　sumptuously；　and　the　new　companion　said　unto　the　other；　You　ought　to　accompt　me　not　onely　your　Captaine　in　robbery　and　fight；　but　also　in　pleasures　and　jolity；　whereupon　by　and　by　with　pleasant　cheere　he　prepared　meat；　and　trimming　up　the　house　he　set　all　things　in　order；　and　brought　the　pottage　and　dainty　dishes　to　the　Table：　but　above　all　he　plyed　them　wel　with　great　pots　and　jugs　of　wine。　　Sometimes　（seeming　to　fetch　somewhat）　hee　would　goe　to　the　Maiden　and　give　her　pieces　of　meate；　which　he　privily　tooke　away；　and　would　drinke　unto　her；　which　she　willingly　tooke　in　good　part。　　Moreover；　hee　kissed　her　twice　or　thrice　whereof　she　was　well　pleased　but　I　（not　well　contented　thereat）　thought　in　my　selfe　：　O　wretched　Maid；　thou　hast　forgotten　thy　marriage；　and　doest　esteeme　this　stranger　and　bloudy　theefe　above　thy　husband　which　thy　Parents　ordained　for　thee；　now　perceive　I　well　thou　hast　no　remorse　of　conscience；　but　more　delight　to　tarry　and　play　the　harlot　heere　amongst　so　many　swords。　　What？　knowest　thou　not　how　the　other　theeves　if　they　knew　thy　demeanour　would　put　thee　to　death　as　they　had　once　appointed；　and　so　worke　my　destruction　likewise？　　Well　now　I　perceive　thou　hast　a　pleasure　in　the　dammage　and　hurt　of　other。　While　I　did　angerly　devise　with　my　selfe　all　these　things；　I　perceived　by　certaine　signes　and　tokens　（not　ignorant　to　so　wise　an　Asse）　that　he　was　not　the　notable　theefe　Hemus；　but　rather　Lepolemus　her　husband；　for　after　much　communication　he　beganne　to　speake　more　franckly；　not　fearing　at　all　my　presence；　and　said；　Be　of　good　cheere　my　sweete　friend　Charites；　for　thou　shalt　have　by　and　by　all　these　thy　enemies　captive　unto　thee。　　Then　hee　filled　wine　to　the　theeves　more　and　more；　and　never　ceased；　till　as　they　were　all　overcome　with　abundance　of　meat　and　drinke；　when　as　hee　himselfe　abstained　and　bridled　his　owne　appetite。　　And　truely　I　did　greatly　suspect；　least　hee　had　mingled　in　their　cups　some　deadly　poyson；　for　incontinently　they　all　fell　downe　asleepe　on　the　ground　one　after　an　other；　and　lay　as　though　they　had　beene　dead。



　THE　TWENTY…SEVENTH　CHAPTER

How　the　Gentlewoman　was　carried　home　by　her　husband　while　the　theeves　were　asleepe；　and　how　much　Apuleius　was　made　of。

　When　the　theeves　were　all　asleepe　by　their　great　and　immoderate　drinking；　the　young　man　Lepolemus　took　the　Maiden　and　set　her　upon　　my　backe；　and　went　homeward。　　When　we　were　come　home；　all　the　people　of　the　Citie；　especially　her　Parents；　friends；　and　family；　came　running　forth　joyfully；　and　the　children　and　Maidens　of　the　towne　gathered　together　to　see　this　virgin　in　great　triumph　sitting　upon　an　Asse。　Then　I　（willing　to　shew　as　much　joy　as　I　might；　as　present　occasion　served）　I　set　and　pricked　up　my　long　eares；　ratled　my　nosethrils；　and　cryed　stoutly；　nay　rather　I　made　the　towne　to　ring　againe　with　my　shrilling　sound　：　when　wee　were　come　to　her　fathers　house；　shee　was　received　in　a　chamber　honourably　：　as　for　me；　Lepolemus　（accompanied　with　a　great　number　of　Citizens）　did　presently　after　drive　me　backe　againe　with　other　horses　to　the　cave　of　the　theeves；　where　wee　found　them　all　asleepe　lying　on　the　ground　as　wee　left　them；　then　they　first　brought　out　all　the　gold；　and　silver；　and　other　treasure　of　the　house；　and　laded　us　withall；　which　when　they　had　done；　they　threw　many　of　the　theeves　downe　into　the　bottome　of　deepe　ditches；　and　the　residue　they　slew　with　their　swords　：　after　this　wee　returned　home　glad　and　merry　of　so　great　vengeance　upon　them；　and　the　riches　which　wee　carried　was　commited　to　the　publike　treasurie。　　This　done；　the　Maid　was　married　to　Lepolemus；　according　to　the　law；　whom　by　so　much　travell　he　had　valiantly　recovered　：　then　my　good　Mistresse　looked　about　for　me；　and　asking　for　me　commanded　the　very　same　day　of　her　marriage；　that　my　manger　should　be　filled　with　barly；　and　that　I　should　have　hay　and　oats　aboundantly；　and　she　would　call　me　her　little　Camell。　　But　how　greatly　did　I　curse　Fotis；　in　that　shee　transformed　me　into　an　Asse；　and　not　into　a　dogge；　because　I　saw　the　dogges　had　filled　their　paunches　with　the　reliks　and　bones　of　so　worthy　a　supper。　　The　next　day　this　new　wedded　woman　（my　Mistresse）　did　greatly　commend　me　before　her　Parents　and　husband；　for　the　kindnesse　which　I　had　shewed　unto　her；　and　never　leaved　off　untill　such　time　as　they　promised　to　reward　me　with　great　honours。　Then　they　called　together　all　their　friends；　and　thus　it　was　concluded　：　one　said；　that　I　should　be　closed　in　a　stable　and　never　worke；　but　continually　to　be　fedde　and　fatted　with　fine　and　chosen　barly　and　beanes　and　good　littour；　howbeit　another　prevailed；　who　wishing　my　liberty；　perswaded　them　that　it　was　better　for　me　to　runne　in　the　fields　amongst　the　lascivious　horses　and　mares；　whereby　I　might　engender　some　mules　for　my　Mistresse　：　then　he　that　had　in　charge　to　keepe　the　horse；　was　called　for；　and　I　was　delivered　unto　him　with　great　care；　insomuch　that　I　was　right　pleasant　and　joyous；　because　I　hoped　that　I　should　carry　no　more　fardels　nor　burthens；　moreover　I　thought　that　when　I　should　thus　be　at　liberty；　in　the　spring　time　of　the　yeere　when　the　meddows　and　fields　were　greene；　I　should　find　some　roses　in　some　place；　whereby　I　was　fully　perswaded　that　if　my　Master　and　Mistresse　did　render　to　me　so　many　thanks　and　honours　being　an　Asse；　they　would　much　more　reward　me　being　turned　into　a　man　：　but　when　he　（to　whom　the　charge　of　me　was　so　straightly　committed）　had　brought　me　a　good　way　distant　from　the　City；　I　perceived　no　delicate　meates　nor　no　liberty　which　I　should　have；　but　by　and　by　his　covetous　wife　and　most　cursed　queane　made　me　a　mill　Asse；　and　（beating　me　with　a　cudgill　full　of　knots）　would　wring　bread　for　her　selfe　and　her　husband　out　of　my　skinne。　Yet　was　she　not　contented　to　weary　me　and　make　me　a　drudge　with　carriage　and　grinding　of　her　owne　corne；　but　I　was　hired　of　her　neighbours　to　beare　their　sackes　likewise；　howbeit　shee　would　not　give　me　such　meate　as　I　should　have；　nor　sufficient　to　sustaine　my　life　withall；　for　the　barly　which　I　ground　for　mine　owne　dinner　she　would　sell　to　the　Inhabitants　by。　　And　after　that　I　had　laboured　all　day；　she　would　set　before　me　at　night　a　little　filthy　branne；　nothing　cleane　but　full　of　stones。　　Being　in　this　calamity；　yet　fortune　worked　me　other　torments；　for　on　a　day　I　was　let　loose　into　the　fields　to　pasture；　by　the　commandement　of　my　master。　O　how　I　leaped　for　joy；　how　I　neighed　to　see　my　selfe　in　such　liberty；　but　especially　since　I　beheld　so　many　Mares；　which　I　thought　should　be　my　wives　and　concubines；　and　I　espied　out　and　chose　the　fairest　before　I　came　nigh　them；　but　this　my　joyfull　hope　turned　into　otter　destruction；　for　incontinently　all　the　stone　Horses　which　were　well　fedde　and　made　strong　by　ease　of　pasture；　and　thereby　much　more　puissant　then