the golden asse-第34章

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somewhat　at　her　refusall；　hee　busily　searched　some　meanes　to　worke　his　damnable　intent。　And　（having　found　occasion　and　opportunity　to　accomplish　his　purpose；　which　he　had　long　time　concealed）　brought　to　passe；　that　the　same　day　that　Charites　was　delivered　by　the　subtill　meane　and　valiant　audacity　of　her　husband；　from　the　puissance　of　the　Theeves；　he　mingled　himselfe　among　the　assembly；　faining　that　he　was　glad　of　the　new　marriage；　and　comming　home　againe　of　the　maiden；　Whereby　（by　reason　that　he　came　of　so　noble　parents）　he　was　received　and　entertained　into　the　house　as　one　of　their　chiefe　and　principall　friends　：　Howbeit　under　cloake　of　a　faithfull　welwiller；　hee　dissimuled　his　mischievous　mind　and　intent　：　in　continuance　of　time　by　much　familiarity　and　often　conversation　and　banketting　together；　he　fell　more　and　more　in　favour；　like　as　we　see　it　fortuneth　to　Lovers；　who　first　doe　little　delight　themselves　in　love　：　till　as　by　continuall　acquaintance　they　kisse　and　imbrace　each　other。　Thrasillus　perceiving　that　it　was　a　hard　matter　to　breake　his　minde　secretly　to　Charites；　whereby　he　was　wholly　barred　from　the　accomplishment　of　his　luxurious　appetite；　and　on　the　other　side　perceiving　that　the　love　of　her　and　her　husband　was　so　strongly　lincked　together；　that　the　bond　betweene　them　might　in　no　wise　be　dissevered；　moreover；　it　was　a　thing　impossible　to　ravish　her；　although　he　had　consented　thereto；　yet　was　hee　still　provoked　forward　by　vehement　lust；　when　as　hee　saw　himselfe　unable　to　bring　his　purpose　to　passe。　　Howbeit　at　length　the　thing　which　seemed　so　hard　and　difficill；　thorough　hope　of　his　fortified　love；　did　now　appeare　easie　and　facill　：　but　marke　I　pray　you　diligently　to　what　end　the　furious　force　of　his　inordinate　desire　came。　　On　a　day　Lepolemus　went　to　the　chase　with　Thrasillus；　to　hunt　for　Goates；　for　his　wife　Charites　desired　him　earnestly　to　meddle　with　no　other　beasts；　which　were　of　more　fierce　and　wilde　nature。　　When　they　were　come　within　the　chase　to　a　great　thicket　fortressed　about　with　bryers　and　thornes；　they　compassed　round　with　their　Dogs　and　beset　every　place　with　nets　：　by　and　by　warning　was　given　to　let　loose。　　The　Dogs　rushed　in　with　such　a　cry；　that　all　the　Forrest　rang　againe　with　the　noyse；　but　behold　there　leaped　out　no　Goat；　nor　Deere；　nor　gentle　Hinde；　but　an　horrible　and　dangerous　wild　Boare；　hard　and　thicke　skinned；　bristeled　terribly　with　thornes；　foming　at　the　mouth；　grinding　his　teeth；　and　looking　direfully　with　fiery　eyes。　The　Dogs　that　first　set　upon　him；　he　tare　and　rent　with　his　tuskes；　and　then　he　ranne　quite　through　the　nets；　and　escaped　away。　When　wee　saw　the　fury　of　this　beast；　wee　were　greatly　striken　with　feare；　and　because　wee　never　accustomed　to　chase　such　dreadfull　Boares；　and　further　because　we　were　unarmed　and　without　weapons；　we　got　and　hid　our　selves　under　bushes　and　trees。　　Then　Thrasillus　having　found　opportunity　to　worke　his　treason；　said　to　Lepolemus　：　What　stand　we　here　amazed？　　Why　show　we　our　selves　like　dastards？　　Why　leese　we　so　worthy　a　prey　with　our　feminine　hearts？　　Let　us　mount　upon　our　Horses；　and　pursue　him　incontinently　：　take　you　a　hunting　staffe；　and　I　will　take　a　chasing　speare。　　By　and　by　they　leaped　upon　their　Horses；　and　followed　the　beast。　　But　hee　returning　against　them　with　furious　force；　pryed　with　his　eyes；　on　whom　hee　might　first　assayle　with　his　tuskes　：　Lepolemus　strooke　the　beast　first　on　the　backe　with　his　hunting　staffe。　　Thrasillus　faining　to　ayde　and　assist　him；　came　behind；　and　cut　off　the　hinder　legges　of　Lepolemus　Horse；　in　such　sort　that　hee　fell　downe　to　the　ground　with　his　master　：　and　sodainely　the　Boare　came　upon　Lepolemus　and　furiously　tare　and　rent　him　with　his　teeth。　　Howbeit；　Thrasillus　was　not　sufficed　to　see　him　thus　wounded；　but　when　he　desired　his　friendly　help；　he　thrust　Lepolemus　through　the　right　thigh　with　his　speare；　the　more　because　he　thought　the　wound　of　the　speare　would　be　taken　for　a　wound　of　the　Boars　teeth；　then　he　killed　the　beast　likewise；　And　when　he　was　thus　miserably　slaine；　every　one　of　us　came　out　of　our　holes；　and　went　towards　our　slaine　master。　But　although　that　Thrasillus　was　joyfull　of　the　death　of　Lepolemus；　whom　he　did　greatly　hate；　yet　he　cloked　the　matter　with　a　sorrowfull　countenance；　he　fained　a　dolorous　face；　he　often　imbraced　the　body　which　himselfe　slew；　he　played　all　the　parts　of　a　mourning　person；　saving　there　fell　no　teares　from　his　eyes。　　Thus　hee　resembled　us　in　each　point；　who　verily　and　not　without　occasion　had　cause　to　lament　for　our　master；　laying　all　the　blame　of　this　homicide　unto　the　Boare。　　Incontinently　after　the　sorrowfull　newes　of　the　death　of　Lepolemus；　came　to　the　eares　of　all　the　family；　but　especially　to　Charites；　who　after　she　had　heard　such　pitifull　tydings；　as　a　mad　and　raging　woman；　ran　up　and　down　the　streets；　crying　and　howling　lamentably。　All　the　Citizens　gathered　together；　and　such　as　they　met　bare　them　company　running　towards　the　chasse。　　When　they　came　to　the　slaine　body　of　Lepolemus；　Charites　threw　her　selfe　upon　him　weeping　and　lamenting　grievously　for　his　death；　in　such　sort；　that　she　would　have　presently　ended　her　life；　upon　the　corps　of　her　slaine　husband；　whom　shee　so　entirely　loved；　had　it　not　beene　that　her　parents　and　friends　did　comfort　her；　and　pulled　her　away。　The　body　was　taken　up；　and　in　funerall　pompe　brought　to　the　City　and　buried。　　In　the　meane　season；　Thrasillus　fained　much　sorrow　for　the　death　of　Lepolemus；　but　in　his　heart　he　was　well　pleased　and　joyfull。　　And　to　counterfeit　the　matter；　he　would　come　to　Charites　and　say　：　O　what　a　losse　have　I　had　of　my　friend；　my　fellow；　my　companion　Lepolemus？　O　Charites　comfort　your　selfe；　pacifie　your　dolour；　refraine　your　weeping；　beat　not　your　breasts　：　and　with　such　other　and　like　words　and　divers　examples　he　endeavoured　to　suppresse　her　great　sorrow；　but　he　spake　not　this　for　any　other　intent　but　to　win　the　heart　of　the　woman；　and　to　nourish　his　odious　love　with　filthy　delight。　　Howbeit　Charites　after　the　buriall　of　her　husband　sought　the　meanes　to　follow　him；　and　（not　sustaining　the　sorrows　wherein　she　was　Wrapped）　got　her　secretly　into　a　chamber　and　purposed　to　finish　her　life　there　with　dolour　and　tribulation。　　But　Thrasillus　was　very　importunate；　and　at　length　brought　to　passe；　that　at　the　intercession　of　the　Parents　and　friends　of　Charites；　she　somewhat　refreshed　her　fallen　members　with　refection　of　meate　and　baine。　　Howbeit；　she　did　it　more　at　the　commandement　of　her　Parents；　then　for　any　thing　else　：　for　she　could　in　no　wise　be　merry；　nor　receive　any　comfort；　but　tormented　her　selfe　day　and　night　before　the　Image　of　her　husband　which　she　made　like　unto　Bacchus；　and　rendred　unto　him　divine　honours　and　services。　　In　the　meane　season　Thrasillus　not　able　to　refraine　any　longer；　before　Charites　had　asswaged　her　dolor；　before　her　troubled　mind　had　pacified　her　fury；　even　in　the　middle　of　all　her　griefes；　while　she　tare　her　haire　and　rent　her　garments；　demanded　her　in　marriage；　and　so　without　shame；　he　detected　the　secrets　and　unspeakeable　deceipts　of　his　heart。　But　Charites　detested　and　abhorred　his　demand；　and　as　she　had　beene　stroken　with　some　clap　of　thunder；　with　some　storme；　or　with　the　lightning　of　Jupiter；　she　presently　fell　downe　to　the　ground　all　amazed。　　Howbeit　when　her　spirits　were　revived　arid　that　she　returned　to　her　selfe；　perceiving　that　Thrasillus　was　so　importunate；　she　demanded　respite　to　deliberate　and　to　take　advise　on　the　matter。　　In　the　meane　season；　the　shape　of　Lepolemus　that　was　slaine　so　miserably；　appeared　to　Charites　saying；　O　my　sweet　wife　（which　no　other　person　can　say　but　I）　I　pray　thee　for　the　love　which　is　betweene　us　two；　if　there　he　any　memorie　of　me　in　thy　heart；　or　remembrance　of　my　pittifull　death；　marry　with　any　other　person；　so　that　thou　marry　not　with　the　traitour　Thrasillus；　have　no　conference　with　him；　eate　not　with　him；　lie　not　with　him；　avoid　the　bloudie　hand　of　mine　enemie；　couple　not　thy　selfe　with　a　paricide；　for　those　wounds　（the　bloud　whereof　thy　teares　did　wash　away）　were　not　the　wounds　of　the　teeth　of　the　Boare；　but　the　speare　of　Thrasillus；　that　deprived　me　from　thee。　Thus　spake　Lepolemus；　unto　his　loving　wife；　and　declared　the　residue　of　the　damnable　fac