the golden asse-第26部分

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e　old　woman　hanging　upon　a　bow　of　a　Cipresse　tree；　then　one　of　them　cut　downe　the　bowe　whereon　shee　hanged；　and　cast　her　into　the　bottome　of　a　great　ditch　：　after　this　they　bound　the　maiden　and　fell　greedily　to　their　victuals；　which　the　miserable　old　woman　had　prepared　for　them。　　At　which　time　they　began　to　devise　with　themselves　of　our　death；　and　how　they　might　be　revenged；　divers　was　the　opinions　of　this　divers　number：　the　first　said；　that　hee　thought　best　the　Mayd　should　be　burned　alive：　the　second　said　she　should　be　throwne　out　to　wild　beasts：　the　third　said；　she　should　be　hanged　upon　a　gibbet：　the　fourth　said　she　should　be　flead　alive：　thus　was　the　death　of　the　poore　Maiden　scanned　betweene　them　foure。　But　one　of　the　theeves　after　every　man　had　declared　his　judgement；　did　speake　in　this　manner：　it　is　not　convenient　unto　the　oath　of　our　company；　to　suffer　you　to　waxe　more　cruell　then　the　quality　of　the　offence　doth　merit；　for　I　would　that　shee　should　not　be　hanged　nor　burned；　nor　throwne　to　beasts；　nor　dye　any　sodaine　death；　but　by　my　council　I　would　have　her　punished　according　to　her　desert。　You　know　well　what　you　have　determined　already　of　this　dull　Asse；　that　eateth　more　then　he　is　worth；　that　faineth　lamenesse；　and　that　was　the　cause　of　the　flying　away　of　the　Maid　：　my　mind　is　that　he　shall　be　slaine　to　morrow；　and　when　all　the　guts　and　entrailes　of　his　body　is　taken　out；　let　the　Maide　be　sowne　into　his　belly；　then　let　us　lay　them　upon　a　great　stone　against　the　broiling　heate　of　the　Sunne；　so　they　shall　both　sustaine　all　the　punishments　which　you　have　ordained　：　for　first　the　Asse　shall　be　slaine　as　you　have　determined；　and　she　shall　have　her　members　torne　and　gnawn　with　wild　beasts；　when　as　she　is　bitten　and　rent　with　wormes；　shee　shall　endure　the　paine　of　the　fire；　when　as　the　broyling　heat　of　the　Sunne　shall　scortch　and　parch　the　belly　of　the　Asse；　shee　shall　abide　the　gallows　when　the　Dogs　and　Vultures　shall　have　the　guts　of　her　body　hanging　in　their　ravenous　mouthes。　　I　pray　you　number　all　the　torments　which　she　shall　suffer　：　First　shee　shall　dwell　within　the　paunch　of　an　Asse　：　secondly　her　nosethrilles　shall　receive　a　carraine　stinke　of　the　beast　：　thirdly　shee　shall　dye　for　hunger　：　last　of　all；　shee　shall　finde　no　meane　to　ridde　her　selfe　from　her　paines；　for　her　hand　shalt　be　sowen　up　within　the　skinne　of　the　Asse　：　This　being　said；　all　the　Theeves　consented；　and　when　I　（poore　Asse）　heard　and　understood　all　their　device；　I　did　nothing　else　but　lament　and　bewayle　my　dead　carkasse；　which　should　be　handled　in　such　sort　on　the　next　morrow。




THE　SEVENTH　BOOKE



THE　TWENTY…FOURTH　CHAPTER


How　hee　that　was　left　behinde　at　Hippata　did　bring　newes　concerning　the　robbery　of　Miloes　house；　came　home　and　declared　to　his　Company；　that　all　the　fault　was　laid　to　one　Apuleius　his　charge。

　　A　soone　as　night　was　past；　and　the　cleare　Chariot　of　the　Sunne　had　spred　his　bright　beames　on　every　coast；　came　one　of　the　company　of　the　theeves；　（for　so　his　and　their　greeting　together　did　declare）　who　at　the　first　entry　into　the　Cave　（after　hee　had　breathed　himselfe；　and　was　able　to　speake）　told　these　tydings　unto　his　companions　in　this　sort。　　Sirs；　as　touching　the　house　of　Milo　of　Hippata；　which　we　forcibly　entred　and　ransackt　the　last　day；　we　may　put　away　all　feare　and　doubt　nothing　at　all。　　For　after　that　ye　by　force　of　armes；　had　spoyled　and　taken　away　all　things　in　the　house；　and　returned　hither　into　our　Cave；　I　（thrusting　my　selfe　amongst　the　presse　of　the　people；　and　shewing　my　selfe　as　though　I　were　sad　and　sorrowful　for　the　mischance）　consulted　with　them　for　the　boulting　out　of　the　matter；　and　devising　what　meanes　might　be　wrought　for　the　apprehension　of　the　theeves；　to　the　intent　I　might　learne　and　see　all　that　was　done　to　make　relation　thereof　unto　you　as　you　willed　me；　insomuch　that　the　whole　fact　at　length　by　manifest　and　evident　proofes　as　also　by　the　common　opinion　and　judgement　of　the　people；　was　laid　to　one　Lucius　Apuleius　charge　as　manifest　author　of　this　common　robbery；　who　a　few　dayse　before　by　false　and　forged　letters　and　colored　honesty；　fell　so　farre　in　favour　with　this　Milo；　that　he　entertained　him　into　his　house；　and　received　him　as　a　chiefe　of　his　familiar　friends；　which　Lucius　after　that　he　had　sojourned　there　a　good　space；　and　won　the　heart　of　Miloes　Maid；　by　fained　love；　did　thoroughly　learne　the　waies　and　doores　of　all　the　house；　and　curiously　viewed　the　cofers　and　chests；　wherein　was　laid　the　whole　substance　of　Milo：　neither　was　there　small　cause　given　to　judge　him　culpable；　since　as　the　very　same　night　that　this　robbery　was　done　he　fled　away；　and　could　not　be　found　in　no　place：　and　to　the　intent　hee　might　cleane　escape；　and　better　prevent　such　as　made　hew　and　crie　after　him；　he　tooke　his　white　horse　and　galloped　away；　and　after　this；　his　servant　was　found　in　the　house；　who　（accused　as　accessary　to　the　fellony　and　escape　of　his　Master）　was　committed　to　the　common　gaole；　and　the　next　day　following　was　cruelly　scourged　and　tormented　till　hee　was　welnigh　dead；　to　the　intent　hee　should　confesse　the　matter；　but　when　they　could　wreast　or　learne　no　such　thing　of　him；　yet　sent　they　many　persons　after；　towardes　Lucius　Countrey　to　enquire　him　out；　and　so　to　take　him　prisoner。　As　he　declared　these　things；　I　did　greatly　lament　with　my　selfe；　to　thinke　of　mine　old　and　pristine　estate；　and　what　felicity　I　was　sometimes　in；　in　comparison　to　the　misery　that　I　presently　susteined；　being　changed　into　a　miserable　Asse；　then　had　I　no　small　occasion　to　remember；　how　the　old　and　ancient　Writers　did　affirme；　that　fortune　was　starke　blind　without　eies；　because　she　alwaies　bestoweth　her　riches　upon　evil　persons；　and　fooles；　and　chooseth　or　favoureth　no　mortall　person　by　judgement；　but　is　alwaies　conversent；　especially　with　much　as　if　she　could　see；　she　should　most　shunne；　and　forsake；　yea　and　that　which　is　more　worse；　she　sheweth　such　evill　or　contrary　opinions　in　men；　that　the　wicked　doe　glory　with　the　name　of　good；　and　contrary　the　good　and　innocent　be　detracted　and　slandred　as　evill。　　Furthermore　I；　who　by　her　great　cruelty；　was　turned　into　a　foure　footed　Asse；　in　most　vile　and　abject　manner　：　yea；　and　whose　estate　seemed　worthily　to　be　lamented　and　pittied　of　the　most　hard　and　stonie　hearts；　was　accused　of　theft　and　robbing　of　my　deare　host　Milo；　which　villany　might　rather　be　called　parricide　then　theft；　yet　might　not　I　defend　mine　owne　cause　or　denie　the　fact　any　way；　by　reason　I　could　not　speake；　howbeit　least　my　conscience　should　seeme　to　accuse　me　by　reason　of　silence；　and　againe　being　enforced　by　impatience　I　endevored　to　speake；　and　faine　would　have　said；　Never　did　I　that　fact；　and　verely　the　first　word；　never；　I　cried　out　once　or　twise；　somewhat　handsome；　but　the　residue　I　could　in　no　wise　pronounce；　but　still　remaining　in　one　voice；　cried；　Never；　never；　never。　　howbeit　I　settled　my　hanging　lips　as　round　as　I　could　to　speake　the　residue　：　but　why　should　I　further　complaine　of　the　crueltie　of　my　fortune；　since　as　I　was　not　much　ashamed；　by　reason　that　my　servant　and　my　horse；　was　likewise　accused　with　me　of　the　robbery。

While　I　pondered　with　my　selfe　all　these　things；　a　great　care　＇came＇　to　my　remembrance；　touching　the　death；　which　the　theeves　provised　for　me　and　the　maiden；　and　still　as　I　looked　downe　to　my　belly；　I　thought　of　my　poore　gentlewoman　that　should　be　closed　within　me。　　And　the　theefe　which　a　little　before　had　brought　the　false　newes　against　me；　drew　out　of　the　skirt　of　his　coate；　a　thousand　crowns；　which　he　had　rifled　from　such　as　hee　met；　and　brought　it　into　the　common　treasury。　　Then　hee　carefully　enquired　how　the　residue　of　his　companions　did。　　To　whom　it　was　declared　that　the　most　valiant　was　murdred　and　slaine　in　divers　manners；　whereupon　he　perswaded　them　to　remit　all　their　affaires　a　certaine　season；　and　to　seeke　for　other　fellowes　to　be　in　their　places；　that　by　the　exercise　of　new　lads；　the　terror　of　their　martiall　band　might　be　reduced　to　the　old　number；　assuring　them　that　such　as　were　unwilling；　might　be　compelled　by　menaces　and　threatnings；　and　such　as　were　willing　might　be　incouraged　forward　with　reward。　Further　be　said；　that　there　were　some；　which　（seeing　the　profite　which　they　had）　would　forsake　their　base　and　servile　estate；　and　rather　bee　contented　to　live　like　tyrants　amongst　them。　　Moreover　he　declared；　that　for　his　part　he　had　spoken　with　a　certaine　tall　man；　a　valiant　companion；　but　of　young　age；　stout　in　body；　and　couragious　in　fight；　whom　he　had　fully　perswaded　to　exercise　his　idle　hands；　dull　with　slothfullnesse；　to　his　greater　profit；　and　（while　he　might）　to　receive　the　blisse　of　better　Fortune；　and　not　to　hold　out　his　sturdy　arme　to　begge　for　a　penny；　but　rather　to　take　as　much　gold　and　silver　as　hee　would。　　Then　everyone　consented；　that　hee　that　seemed　so　worthy　to　be　their　companion；　should　be　one　of　their　company；　and　that　they　would　search　for　others　to　make　up　the　residue　of　the　number；　whereupon　he　went　out；　and　by　and　by　（returning　againe）　brought　in　a　tall　young　man　（as　he　promised）　to　whom　none　of　the　residue　might　bee　compared；　for　hee　was　higher　then　they　by　the　head；　and　of　more　bignesse　in　body；　his　beard　began　to　burgen；　but　hee　was　poorely　apparelled；　insomu