the golden asse-第21部分

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she　was　in　a　tossing　minde　like　the　waves　of　the　sea；　and　although　her　wil　was　obstinate；　and　resisted　to　put　in　execution　the　counsell　of　her　Sisters；　yet　she　was　in　doubtfull　and　divers　opinions　touching　her　calamity。　　Sometime　she　would；　sometime　she　would　not；　sometime　she　is　bold；　sometime　she　feareth；　sometime　shee　mistrusteth；　somtime　she　is　mooved；　somtime　she　hateth　the　beast；　somtime　she　loveth　her　husband　：　but　at　length　night　came；　when　as　she　prepared　for　her　wicked　intent。

Soon　after　her　husband　Came；　and　when　he　had　kissed　and　embraced　her　he　fell　asleep。　Then　Psyches　（somwhat　feeble　in　body　and　mind；　yet　mooved　by　cruelty　of　fate）　received　boldnes　and　brought　forth　the　lampe；　and　tooke　the　razor；　so　by　her　audacity　she　changed　her　mind　：　but　when　she　took　the　lamp　and　came　to　the　bed　side；　she　saw　the　most　meeke　and　sweetest　beast　of　all　beasts；　even　faire　Cupid　couched　fairly；　at　whose　sight　the　very　lampe　encreased　his　light　for　joy；　and　the　razor　turned　his　edge。

But　when　Psyches　saw　so　glorious　a　body　shee　greatly　feared；　and　amazed　in　mind；　with　a　pale　countenance　all　trembling　fel　on　her　knees　and　thought　to　hide　the　razor；　yea　verily　in　her　owne　heart；　which　doubtlesse　she　had　done；　had　it　not　through　feare　of　so　great　an　enterprise　fallen　out　of　her　hand。　And　when　she　saw　and　beheld　the　beauty　of　the　divine　visage　shee　was　well　recreated　in　her　mind；　she　saw　his　haires　of　gold；　that　yeelded　out　a　sweet　savor；　his　neck　more　white　than　milk；　his　purple　cheeks；　his　haire　hanging　comely　behinde　and　before；　the　brightnesse　　whereof　did　darken　the　light　of　the　lamp；　his　tender　plume　feathers；　dispersed　upon　his　sholders　like　shining　flours；　and　trembling　hither　and　thither；　and　his　other　parts　of　his　body　so　smooth　and　so　soft；　that　it　did　not　repent　Venus　to　beare　such　a　childe。　　At　the　beds　feet　lay　his　bow；

quiver；　and　arrowes；　that　be　the　weapons　of　so　great　a　god　：　which　when　Psyches　did　curiously　behold；　she　marvelling　at　her　husbands　weapons；　took　one　of　the　arrows　out　of　the　quiver；　and　pricked　her　selfe　withall；　wherwith　she　was　so　grievously　wounded　that　the　blood　followed；　and　thereby　of　her　owne　accord　shee　added　love　upon　love；　then　more　broyling　in　the　love　of　Cupid　shee　embraced　him　and　kissed　him　and　kissed　him　a　thousand　times；　fearing　the　measure　of　his　sleepe　　But　alas　while　shee　was　in　this　great　joy；　whether　it　were　for　envy　for　desire　to　touch　this　amiable　body　likewise；　there　fell　out　a　droppe　of　burning　oyle　from　the　lampe　upon　the　right　shoulder　of　the　god。　　O　rash　and　bold　lampe；　the　vile　ministery　of　love；　how　darest　thou　bee　so　bold　as　to　burne　the　god　of　all　fire？　　When　as　he　invented　thee；　to　the　intent　that　all　lovers　might　with　more　joy　passe　the　nights　in　pleasure。

The　god　beeing　burned　in　this　sort；　and　perceiving　that　promise　and　faith　was　broken；　bee　fled　away　without　utterance　of　any　word；　from　the　eves　and　hands　of　his　most　unhappy　wife。　　But　Psyches　fortuned　to　catch　him　as　hee　was　rising　by　the　right　thigh；　and　held　him　fast　as　hee　flew　above　in　the　aire；　until　such　time　as　constrained　by　wearinesse　　shee　let　goe　arid　fell　downe　upon　the　ground。　　But　Cupid　followed　her　downe；　and　lighted　upon　the　top　of　a　Cypresse　tree；　and　angerly　spake　unto　her　in　this　manner　：　O　simple　Psyches；　consider　with　thy　selfe　how　I；　little　regarding　the　commandement　of　my　mother　（who　willed　mee　that　thou　shouldst　bee　married　to　a　man　of　base　and　miserable　condition）　did　come　my　selfe　from　heaven　to　love　thee；　and　wounded　myne　owne　body　with　my　proper　weapons；　to　have　thee　to　my　Spowse　：　　And　did　I　seeme　a　beast　unto　thee；　that　thou　shouldst　go　about　to　cut　off　my　head　with　a　razor；　who　loved　thee　so　well？　　Did　not　I　alwayes　give　thee　a　charge？　　Did　not　I　gently　will　thee　to　beware？　　But　those　cursed　aides　and　Counsellors　of　thine　shall　be　worthily　rewarded　for　their　pains。　　As　for　thee　thou　shalt　be　sufficiently　punished　by　my　absence。　When　hee　had　spoken　these　words　he　tooke　his　flight　into　the　aire。　　Then　Psyches　fell　flat　on　the　ground；　and　as　long　as　she　could　see　her　husband　she　cast　her　eyes　after　him　into　the　aire；　weeping　and　lamenting　pitteously　：　　but　when　hee　was　gone　out　of　her　sight　shee　threw　her　selfe　into　the　next　running　river；　for　the　great　anguish　and　dolour　that　shee　was　in　for　the　lack　of　her　husband　；　howbeit　the　water　would　not　suffer　her　to　be　drowned；　but　tooke　pity　upon　her；　in　the　honour　of　Cupid　which　accustomed　to　broyle　and　burne　the　river；　and　threw　her　upon　the　bank　amongst　the　herbs。

Then　Pan　the　rusticall　god　sitting　on　the　river　side；　embracing　and　＇instructing＇　the　goddesse　Canna　to　tune　her　songs　and　pipes；　by　whom　were　feeding　the　young　and　tender　Goats；　after　that　he　perceived　Psyches　in　sorrowful　case；　not　ignorant　（I　know　not　by　what　meanes）　of　her　miserable　estate；　endeavored　to　pacific　her　in　this　sort　：　O　faire　maid；　I　am　a　rusticke　and　rude　heardsman；　howbeit　by　reason　of　my　old　age　expert　in　many　things；　for　as　farre　as　I　can　learnt　by　conjecture　（which　according　as　wise　men　doe　terme　is　called　divination）　I　perceive　by　your　uncertaine　gate；　your　pale　hew；　your　sobbing　sighes；　and　your　watery　eyes；　that　you　are　greatly　in　love。　　Wherefore　hearken　to　me；　and　goe　not　about　to　slay　your　selfe；　nor　weepe　not　at　all；　but　rather　adore　and　worship　the　great　god　Cupid；　and　winne　him　unto　you　by　your　gentle　promise　of　service。

When　the　god　of　Shepherds　had　spoken　these　words；　she　gave　no　answer；　but　made　reverence　to　him　as　to　a　god；　and　so　departed。

After　that　Psyches　had　gone　a　little　way；　she　fortuned　unawares　to　come　to　a　city　where　the　husband　of　one　of　her　Sisters　did　dwell。　Which　when　Psyches　did　understand；　shee　caused　that　her　sister　had　knowledge　of　her　comming；　and　so　they　met　together；　and　after　great　embracing　and　salutation；　the　sister　of　Psyches　demaunded　the　cause　of　her　travell　thither。　　Marry　（quoth　she）　doe　you　not　remember　the　counsell　you　gave　me；　whereby　you　would　that　I　should　kill　the　beast　which　under　colour　of　my　husband　did　lie　with　mee　every　night　i　　You　shall　understand；　that　as　soone　as　I　brought　forth　the　lampe　to　see　and　behold　his　shape；　I　perceived　that　he　was　the　sonne　of　　Venus；　even　Cupid　himselfe　　that　lay　with　mee。　Then　I　being　stricken　　with　great　pleasure；　and　desirous　to　embrace　him；　could　not　thoroughly　asswage　my　delight；　but　alas　by　evill　ill　chance　the　oyle　of　the　lampe　fortuned　to　fall　on　his　shoulder　which　caused　him　to　awake；　and　seeing　me　armed　with　fire　and　weapons；　gan　say；　How　darest　thou　be　so　bold　to　doe　so　great　a　mischiefe？　Depart　from　me　and　take　such　things　as　thou　didst　bring　：　for　I　will　have　thy　sister　（and　named　you）　to　my　wife；　and　she　shall　be　placed　in　thy　felicity；　and　by　and　by　hee　commaunded　Zephyrus　to　carry　me　away　from　the　bounds　of　his　house。

Psyches　had　scantly　finished　　her　tale　but　her　sister　pierced　with　the　pricke　of　carnall　desire　and　wicked　envy　ran　home；　and　feigning　to　her　husband　that　she　　had　heard　word　of　the　death　of　her　parents　tooke　shipping　and　came　to　the　mountaine。　　And　although　there　blew　a　contrary　winde；　yet　being　brought　in　a　vaine　hope　shee　cried　O　Cupid　take　me　a　more　worthy　wife；　and　thou　Zephyrus　beare　downe　thy　mistresse；　and　so　she　cast　her　selfe　headlong　from　the　mountaine　：　but　shee　fell　not　into　the　valley　neither　alive　nor　dead；　for　all　the　members　and　parts　of　her　body　were　torne　amongst　the　rockes；　wherby　she　was　made　prey　unto　the　birds　and　wild　beasts；　as　she　worthily　deserved。

Neither　was　the　vengeance　of　the　other　delayed；　for　Psyches　travelling　in　that　country；　fortuned　to　come　to　another　city　where　her　other　sister　did　dwel；　to　whom　when　shee　had　declared　all　such　things　as　she　told　to　her　other　sister　shee　　ran　likewise　unto　the　rock　and　was　slaine　in　like　sort　　Then　　Psyches　travelled　about　in　the　countrey　to　seeke　her　husband　Cupid；　hut　he　was　gotten　into　his　mothers　chamber　and　there　bewailed　the　sorrowful　wound　which　he　caught　by　the　oyle　of　a　burning　lamp。

Then　the　white　bird　the　Gull；　which　swims　on　the　waves　of　the　water；　flew　toward　the　Ocean　sea；　where　he　found　Venus　washing　and　bathing　her　selfe　：　to　whom　she　declared　that　her　son　was　burned　and　in　danger　of　death；　and　moreover　that　it　was　a　common　brute　in　the　mouth　of　every　person　（who　spake　evill　of　all　the　family　of　Venus）　that　her　son　doth　nothing　but　haunt　harlots　in　the　mountain；　and　she　her　self　lasciviously　use　to　ryot　in　the　sea　：　wherby　they　say　that　they　are　flow　become　no　more　gratious；　pleasant　nor　gentle；　but　incivile；　monstrous　and　horrible。　　Moreover；　that　marriages　are　not　for　any　amity；　or　for　love　of　procreation；　but　full　of　envy；　discord；　and　debate。　　This　the　curious　Gul　did　clatter　in　the　ears　of　Venus；　reprehending　her　son。　　But　Venus　began　to　cry　and　sayd；　What　hath　my　sonne　gotten　any　Love？　　I　pray　thee　gentle　bird　that　doest　serve　me　so　faithfully；　tell　me　what　she　is；　and　what　is　her　name　that　hath　troubled　my　son　in　such　sort？　whether　shee　be　any　of　the　Nymphs；　of　the　number　of　the　goddesses；　of　the　company　of　the　Muses；　or　of　the　mistery　of　the　Graces？　　To　whom　the　bird　answered；　Madam　I　know　not　what　shee　is；　but　this　I　know　that　she　is　called　Psyches。　　Then　Venus　with　indignation　cried　out；　What　is　it　she？　the　usurper　of　my　beauty；　th