the golden asse-第12部分

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the　messenger；　My　friend　I　pray　you　tell　to　my　cousine　your　mistresse；　that　I　would　willingly　be　at　her　commandement；　but　for　breaking　my　troth　and　credit。　　For　myne　host　Milo　enforced　me　to　assure　him；　and　compelled　me　by　the　feast　of　this　present　day；　that　I　should　not　depart　from　his　company；　wherefore　I　pray　you　to　excuse；　and　to　defer　my　promise　to　another　time。

And　while　I　was　speaking　these　words；　Milo　tooke　me　by　the　hand；　and　led　me　towards　the　next　Baine　：　but　by　the　way　I　went　couching　under　him；　to　hide　my　selfe　from　the　sight　of　men；　because　I　had　ministred　such　an　occasion　of　laughter。　　And　when　I　had　washed　and　wiped　my　selfe；　and　returned　home　againe；　I　never　remembred　any　such　thing；　so　greatly　was　I　abashed　at　the　nodding　and　pointing　of　every　person。　　Then　went　I　to　supper　with　Milo；　where　God　wot　we　fared　but　meanly。　　Wherefore　feigning　that　my　head　did　ake　by　reason　of　my　sobbing　and　weeping　all　day；　I　desired　license　to　depart　to　my　Chamber；　and　so　I　went　to　bed。



THE　FIFTEENTH　CHAPTER


How　Fotis　told　to　Apuleius；　what　witchcraft　her　mistresse　did　use。

When　I　was　a　bed　I　began　to　call　to　minde　all　the　sorrowes　and　griefes　that　I　was　in　the　day　before；　until　such　time　as　my　love　Fotis；　having　brought　her　mistresse　to　sleepe；　came　into　the　chamber；　not　as　shee　was　wont　to　do；　for　she　seemed　nothing　pleasant　neither　in　countenance　nor　talke；　but　with　sowre　face　and　frowning　looke；　gan　speak　in　this　sort；　Verily　I　confesse　that　I　have　been　the　occasion　of　all　thy　trouble　this　day；　and　therewith　shee　pulled　out　a　whippe　from　under　her　apron；　and　delivered　it　unto　mee　saying；　Revenge　thyself　upon　mee　mischievous　harlot；　or　rather　slay　me。

And　thinke　you　not　that　I　did　willingly　procure　this　anguish　and　sorrow　unto　you；　I　call　the　gods　to　witnesse。　　For　I　had　rather　myne　owne　body　to　perish；　than　that　you　should　receive　or　sustaine　any　harme　by　my　means；　but　that　which　I　did　was　by　the　commandement　of　another；　and　wrought　as　I　thought　for　some　other；　but　behold　the　unlucky　chance　fortuned　on　you　by　my　evill　occasion。

The　I；　very　curious　and　desirous　to　know　the　matter；　answered；　In　faith　（quoth　I）；　this　most　pestilent　and　evill　favoured　whip　which　thou　hast　brought　to　scourge　thee　withal；　shal　first　be　broken　in　a　thousand　pieces；　than　it　should　touch　or　hurt　thy　delicate　and　dainty　skin。　　But　I　pray　you　tell　me　how　have　you　been　the　cause　and　mean　of　my　trouble　and　sorrow？　　For　I　dare　sweare　by　the　love　that　I　beare　unto　you；　and　I　will　not　be　perswaded；　though　you　your　selfe　should　endeavour　the　same；　that　ever　you　went　to　trouble　or　harm　me　：　　perhaps　sometimes　you　imagined　an　evil　thought　in　your　mind；　which　afterwards　you　revoked；　but　that　is　not　to　bee　deemed　as　a　crime。

When　I　had　spoken　these　words；　I　perceived　by　Fotis　eys　being　wet　with　tears　and　well　nigh　closed　up　that　shee　had　a　desire　unto　pleasure　and　specially　because　shee　embraced　and　kissed　me　sweetly。　　And　when　she　was　somewhat　restored　unto　joy　shee　desired　me　that　shee　might　first　shut　the　chamber　doore；　least　by　the　untemperance　of　her　tongue；　in　uttering　any　unfitting　words；　there　might　grow　further　inconvenience。　　Wherewithall　shee　barred　and　propped　the　doore；　and　came　to　me　againe；　and　embracing　me　lovingly　about　the　neck　with　both　her　armes；　spake　with　a　soft　voice　and　said；　I　doe　greatly　feare　to　discover　the　privities　of　this　house；　and　to　utter　the　secret　mysteries　of　my　dame。　　But　I　have　such　confidence　in　you　and　in　your　wisedome；　by　reason　that　you　are　come　of　so　noble　a　line；　and　endowed　with　so　profound　sapience；　and　further　instructed　in　so　many　holy　and　divine　things；　that　you　will　faithfully　keepe　silence；　and　that　whatsoever　I　shall　reveale　or　　declare　unto　you；　you　would　close　them　within　the　bottome　of　your　heart；　and　never　discover　the　same　：　for　I　ensure　you；　the　love　that　I　beare　unto　you；　enforceth　mee　to　utter　it。　　　Now　shal　you　know　all　the　estate　of　our　house；　now　shal　you　know　the　hidden　secrets　of　my　mistres；　unto　whome　the　powers　of　hel　do　obey；　and　by　whom　the　celestial　planets　are　troubled；　the　gods　made　weake；　and　the　elements　subdued；　neither　is　the　violence　of　her　art　in　more　strength　and　force；　than　when　she　espieth　some　comly　young　man　that　pleaseth　her　fancie；　as　oftentimes　it　hapneth；　for　now　she　loveth　one　Boetian　a　fair　and　beautiful　person；　on　whom　she　employes　al　her　sorcerie　and　enchantment；　and　I　heard　her　say　with　mine　own　ears　yester　night；　that　if　the　Sun　had　not　then　presently　gon　downe；　and　the　night　come　to　minister　convenient　time　to　worke　her　magicall　enticements；　she　would　have　brought　perpetuall　darkness　over　all　the　world　her　selfe。　　And　you　shall　know；　that　when　she　saw　yester　night；　this　Boetian　sitting　at　the　Barbers　a　　polling；　when　she　came　from　the　Baines　shee　secretly　commanded　me　to　gather　up　some　of　the　haires　of　his　head　which　lay　dispersed　upon　the　ground；　and　to　bring　it　home。　Which　when　I　thought　to　have　done　the　Barber　espied　me；　and　by　reason　it　was　bruited　though　all　the　City　that　we　were　Witches　and　Enchantresses；　he　cried　out　and　said；　Wil　you　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