the golden asse-第46章

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　which　is　culpable；　should　escape　so　easily；　and　after　mocke　and　flowte　at　your　judgement：　for　I　will　give　you　an　evident　proofe　and　argument　of　this　present　crime。　You　shall　understand；　that　when　this　caytiffe　demanded　of　me　a　present　and　strong　poyson；　considering　that　it　was　not　my　part　to　give　occasion　of　any　others　death；　but　rather　to　cure　and　save　sicke　persons　by　meane　of　medicines　：　and　on　the　other　side；　fearing　least　if　I　should　deny　his　request；　I　might　minister　a　further　cause　of　his　mischiefe；　either　that　he　would　buy　poyson　of　some　other；　or　else　returne　and　worke　his　wicked　intent；　with　a　sword　or　some　dangerous　weapon；　I　gave　him　no　poyson；　but　a　doling　drinke　of　Mandragora；　which　is　of　such　force；　that　it　will　cause　any　man　to　sleepe　as　though　he　were　dead。　　Neither　is　it　any　marvaile　if　this　most　desperate　man；　who　is　certainly　assured　to　be　put　to　death；　ordained　by　an　ancient　custome；　can　suffer　and　abide　these　facill　and　easie　torments；　but　if　it　be　so　that　the　child　hath　received　the　drinke　as　I　tempered　it　with　mine　owne　hands；　he　is　yet　alive　and　doth　but　sleepe；　and　after　his　sleepe　he　shall　returne　to　life　againe；　but　if　he　be　dead　indeed；　then　may　you　further　enquire　of　the　causes　of　his　death。　The　opinion　of　this　ancient　Physitian　was　found　good；　and　every　man　had　a　desire　to　goe　to　the　Sepulchre　where　the　child　was　layd；　there　was　none　of　the　Justices；　none　of　any　　reputation　of　the　towne；　nor　any　of　the　common　people；　but　went　to　see　this　strange　sight。　　Amongst　them　all　the　father　of　the　child　remooved　with　his　owne　hands　the　stone　of　the　Sepulchre；　and　found　his　Sonne　rising　up　after　his　dead　and　soporiferous　sleepe；　whom　when　he　beheld；　he　imbraced　him　in　his　armes；　and　presented　him　before　the　people；　with　great　joy　and　consolation；　and　as　he　was　wrapped　and　bound　in　his　grave；　so　he　brought　him　before　the　Judges；　whereupon　the　wickednesse　of　the　Servant；　and；　the　treason　of　the　stepdame　was　plainely　discovered；　and　the　verity　of　the　matter　revealed；　whereby　the　woman　was　perpetually　exiled；　the　Servant　hanged　on　a　Gallowes；　and　the　Physitian　had　the　Crownes；　which　was　prepared　to　buy　the　poyson。　Behold　how　the　fortune　of　the　old　man　was　changed；　who　thinking　to　be　deprived　of　all　his　race　and　posterity；　was　in　one　moment　made　the　Father　of　two　Children。　　But　as　for　me；　I　was　ruled　and　handled　by　fortune；　according　to　her　pleasure。




THE　FORTY…FIFTH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　was　sold　to　two　brethren；　whereof　one　was　a　Baker；　and　the　other　a　Cooke；　and　how　finely　and　daintily　he　fared。

　THE　Souldier　that　payed　never　a　peny　for　me；　by　the　commandement　of　his　Captaine　was　sent　unto　Rome；　to　cary　Letters　to　the　great　Prince；　and　Generall　of　the　Campe。　　Before　he　went；　he　sold　me　for　eleven　pence　to　two　of　his　Companions；　being　Servants　to　a　man　of　worship；　whereof　one　was　a　Baker　that　baked　sweet　bread　and　delicates；　the　other　a　Cooke；　which　dressed　fine　and　excellent　meats　for　his　Master。　　These　two　lived　in　common；　and　would　drive　me　from　place　to　place；　to　carry　such　things　as　was　necessary；　insomuch　that　I　was　received　by　these　two；　as　a　third　Brother；　and　Companion；　and　I　thought　I　was　never　better　placed；　then　with　them　：　for　when　night　came　that　Supper　was　done；　and　their　businesse　ended；　they　would　bring　many　good　morsels　into　their　Chamber　for　themselves。　　One　would　bring　Pigs；　Chickens；　fish；　and　other　good　meates；　the　other　fine　bread；　pasties；　tarts；　custards　and　other　delicate　Junkets　dipped　in　hony。　And　when　they　had　shut　their　chamber　doore；　and　went　to　the　bains　：　（O　Lord）　how　I　would　fill　my　guts　with　these　goodly　dishes　：　neither　was　I　so　much　a　foole；　or　so　very　an　Asse；　to　leave　the　dainty　meats；　and　to　grind　my　teeth　upon　hard　hay。　In　this　sort　I　continued　a　great　space；　for　I　played　the　honest　Asse；　taking　but　a　little　of　one　dish；　and　a　little　of　another；　wherby　no　man　distrusted　me。　　In　the　end；　I　was　more　hardier　and　began　to　devoure　the　whole　messes　of　the　sweet　delicates；　which　caused　the　Baker　and　the　Cooke　to　suspect；　howbeit　they　nothing　mistrusted　me；　but　searched　about　to　apprehend　the　theefe。　At　length　they　began　to　accuse　one　another　of　theft；　and　to　set　the　dishes　and　morsels　of　meat　in　order；　one　by　another；　because　they　would　learne　what　was　taken　away；　whereby　one　of　them　was　compelled　to　say　thus　to　his　fellow　：　Is　it　reason　to　breake　promise　and　faith　in　this　sort；　by　stealing　away　the　best　meat；　and　to　sell　it　to　augment　thy　good；　and　yet　neverthelesse　to　have　thy　part　in　the　residue　that　is　left　：　if　our　partnership　doe　mislike　thee；　we　will　be　partners　and　brothers　in　other　things；　but　in　this　we　will　breake　of　：　for　I　perceive　that　the　great　losse　which　I　sustain；　will　at　length　be　a　cause　of　great　discord　betweene　us。　Then　answered　the　other；　Verily　I　praise　thy　great　constancy　and　subtilnesse；　in　that　（when　thou　hast　secretly　taken　away　the　meat）　＇thou＇　dost　begin　to　complaine　first；　whereas　I　by　long　space　of　time　have　suffered　thee；　because　I　would　not　seeme　to　accuse　my　brother　of　theft；　but　I　am　right　glad　in　that　wee　are　fallen　into　communication　of　the　matter；　least　by　our　silence；　like　contention　might　arise　betweene　us；　as　fortuned　betweene　Eteocles　and　his　Brother。　　When　they　had　reasoned　together　in　this　sort；　they　swore　both　earnestly；　that　neither　of　them　stale　or　tooke　away　any　jote　of　the　meate；　wherefore　they　concluded　to　search　out　the　Theefe　by　all　kind　of　meanes。　　For　they　could　not　imagin　or　thinke；　the　Asse　who　stood　alone　there；　would　eate　any　such　meates；　neither　could　they　thinke　that　Mice　or　Flyes；　were　so　ravenous；　as　to　devouer　whole　dishes　of　meat；　like　the　Birds　Harpies　which　carried　away　the　meates　of　Phineus　the　King　of　Archadia。　In　the　Meane　season　while　I　was　fed　with　dainty　morsels；　I　gathered　together　my　flesh；　my　skin　waxed　soft；　my　haire　began　to　shine；　and　was　gallant　on　every　part；　but　such　faire　and　comely　shape　of　my　body；　was　cause　of　my　dishonour；　for　the　Baker　and　Cooke　marvelled　to　see　me　so　slick　and　fine；　considering　I　did　eate　no　hay　at　all。　Wherefore　on　a　time　at　their　accustomed　houre；　they　went　to　the　baines；　and　locked　their　chamber　doore。　　It　fortuned　that　ere　they　departed　away；　they　espyed　me　through　a　hole；　how　I　fell　roundly　to　my　victuals：　then　they　marvelled　greatly；　and　little　esteemed　the　losse　of　their　meate；　laughed　exceedingly；　calling　the　servants　of　the　house；　to　shew　them　the　greedy　gorge　and　appetite　of　the　Asse。　Their　laughing　was　so　immoderate　that　the　master　of　the　house　heard　them；　and　demanded　the　cause　of　their　laughter；　and　when　hee　understood　all　the　matter；　hee　looked　through　the　hole　likewise；　wherewith　he　took　such　a　delectation　that　hee　commanded　the　doore　to　be　opened；　that　hee　might　see　mee　at　his　pleasure。　Then　I　perceiving　every　man　laugh；　was　nothing　abashed；　but　rather　more　bold；　whereby　I　never　rested　eating；　till　such　time　as　the　master　of　the　house　commanded　me　to　be　brought　into　his　parler　as　a　novelty；　and　there　caused　all　kinds　of　meates　which　were　never　touched　to　be　set　on　the　table；　which　（although　I　had　eaten　sufficiently　before；　yet　to　win　the　further　favour　of　the　master　of　the　house）　I　did　greedily　devoure　and　made　a　cleane　riddance　of　all　the　delicate　meates。　And　to　prove　my　nature　wholly；　they　gave　met　such　meates　as　every　Asse　doth　abhorre：　for　they　put　before　mee　beefe　and　vinegar；　birds　and　pepper；　fish　and　verjuice：　in　the　meane　season　they　that　beheld　met　at　the　table　did　nothing　but　laugh。　Then　one　of　the　servants　of　the　house　sayd　to　his　master；　I　pray　you　sir　give　him　some　drinke　to　his　supper：　Marry　（quoth　hee）　I　thinke　thou　saist　true；　for　it　may　be；　that　to　his　meate　hee　would　drinke　likewise　a　cup　of　wine。　Hoe　boy；　wash　yonder　pot；　and　fill　it　with　wine；　which　done；　carry　it　to　the　Asse；　and　say　that　I　have　drunke　to　him。　Then　all　the　standers　by　looked　on；　to　see　what　would　come　to　passe　：　but　I　（as　soone　as　I　beheld　the　cup）　staied　not　long；　but　gathering　my　lips　together；　supped　up　all　the　wine　at　one　draught。　　The　master　being　right　joyfull　hereat　caused　the　Baker　and　Cooke　which　had　bought　me；　to　come　before　him；　to　whom　he　delivered　foure　times　as　much　for　me；　as　they　paid；　which　done　he　committed　me　to　one　of　his　rich　Libertines；　an