the golden asse-第34部分

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esent；　which　being　hanged　behind　the　kitchin　doore；　not　far　from　the　ground；　was　cleane　eaten　up　by　a　gray　hound；　that　came　in。　The　Cooke　when　he　saw　the　Venison　devoured；　lamented　and　wept　pitifully。　And　because　supper　time　approached　nigh；　when　as　he　should　be　reproved　of　too　much　negligence；　he　tooke　a　halter　to　hang　himselfe：　but　his　wife　perceiving　whereabout　he　went；　ran　incontinently　to　him；　and　taking　the　halter　in　both　her　hands；　stopped　him　of　his　purpose；　saying；　O　husband；　are　you　out　of　your　writs？　pray　husband　follow　my　counsel；　cary　this　strange　Asse　out　into　some　secret　place　and　kill　him；　which　done；　cut　off　one　of　his　sides；　and　sawce　it　well　like　the　side　of　the　Bucke；　and　set　it　before　your　Master。　　Then　the　Cooke　hearing　the　counsell　of　his　wife；　was　well　pleased　to　slay　me　to　save　himselfe：　and　so　he　went　to　the　whetstone；　to　sharpe　his　tooles　accordingly。




THE　NINTH　BOOKE



　THE　THIRTY…SEVENTH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　saved　himselfe　from　the　Cooke；　breaking　his　halter；　and　of　other　things　that　happened。

　In　this　manner　the　traiterous　Cooke　prepared　himselfe　to　slay　me　：　and　when　he　was　ready　with　his　knives　to　doe　his　feat；　I　devised　with　my　selfe　how　I　might　escape　the　present　perill；　and　I　did　not　long　delay　：　for　incontinently　I　brake　the　halter　wherewith　I　was　tied；　and　flinging　my　heeles　hither　and　thither　to　save　my　selfe；　at　length　I　ran　hastily　into　a　Parlour；　where　the　Master　of　the　house　was　feasting　with　the　Priests　of　the　goddesse　Syria；　and　disquieted　all　the　company；　throwing　downe　their　meats　and　drinks　from　the　table。　　The　Master　of　the　house　dismayed　at　my　great　disorder；　commanded　one　of　his　servants　to　take　me　up；　and　locke　me　in　some　strong　place；　to　the　end　I　might　disturb　them　no　more。　　But　I　little　regarded　my　imprisonment；　considering　that　I　was　happily　delivered　from　the　hands　of　the　traiterous　Cooke。　Howbeit　fortune；　or　the　fatall　disposition　of　the　divine　providence；　which　neither　can　be　avoided　by　wise　counsell；　neither　yet　by　any　wholesome　remedie；　invented　a　new　torment；　for　by　and　by　a　young　ladde　came　running　into　the　Parlour　all　trembling；　and　declared　to　the　Master　of　the　house；　that　there　was　a　madde　Dog　running　about　in　the　streetes；　which　had　done　much　harme；　for　he　had　bitten　many　grey　hounds　and　horses　in　the　Inne　by：　And　he　spared　neither　man　nor　beast。　For　there　was　one　Mitilius　a　Mulettour；　Epheseus；　a　Cooke；　Hyppanius　a　chamberlaine；　and　Appolonius　a　Physition；　who　（thinking　to　chase　away　the　madde　Dogge）　were　cruelly　wounded　by　him；　insomuch　that　many　Horses　and　other　beasts　infected　with　the　venyme　of　his　poysonous　teeth　became　madde　likewise。　Which　thing　caused　them　all　at　the　table　greatly　to　feare；　and　thinking　that　I　had　beene　bitten　in　like　sort；　came　out　with　speares；　Clubs；　and　Pitchforks　purposing　to　slay　me；　and　I　had　undoubtedly　beene　slaine；　had　I　not　by　and　by　crept　into　the　Chamber；　where　my　Master　intended　to　lodge　all　night。　　Then　they　closed　and　locked　fast　the　doores　about　me；　and　kept　the　chamber　round；　till　such　time　as　they　thought　that　the　pestilent　rage　of　madnesse　had　killed　me。　When　I　was　thus　shutte　in　the　chamber　alone；　I　laid　me　downe　upon　the　bed　to　sleepe；　considering　it　was　long　time　past；　since　I　lay　and　tooke　my　rest　as　a　man　doth。　　When　morning　was　come；　and　that　I　was　well　reposed；　I　rose　up　lustily。　In　the　meane　season；　they　which　were　appointed　to　watch　about　the　chamber　all　night；　reasoned　with　themselves　in　this　sort；　Verely　（quoth　one）　I　think　that　this　rude　Asse　be　dead。　So　think　I　（quoth　another）　for　the　outragious　poyson　of　madness　hath　killed　him；　but　being　thus　in　divers　opinions　of　a　poore　Ass；　they　looked　through　a　crevis；　and　espied　me　standing　still；　sober　and　quiet　in　the　middle　of　the　chamber；　then　they　opened　the　doores；　and　came　towards　me；　to　prove　whether　I　were　gentle　or　no。　Amongst　whom　there　was　one；　which　in　my　opinion；　was　sent　from　Heaven　to　save　my　life；　that　willed　the　other　to　set　a　bason　of　faire　water　before　me；　and　thereby　they　would　know　whether　I　were　mad　or　no；　for　if　I　did　drinke　without　feare　as　I　accustomed　to　do；　it　was　a　signe　that　I　was　whole；　and　in　mine　Assie　wits；　where　contrary　if　I　did　flie　and　abhorre　the　tast　of　the　water；　it　was　evident　proofe　of　my　madness；　which　thing　he　said　that　he　had　read　in　ancient　and　credible　books；　whereupon　they　tooke　a　bason　of　cleere　water；　and　presented　it　before　me：　but　I　as　soone　as　I　perceived　the　wholesome　water　of　my　life；　ran　incontinently；　thrusting　my　head　into　the　bason；　drank　as　though　I　had　beene　greatly　athirst；　then　they　stroked　me　with　their　hands；　and　bowed　mine　eares；　and　tooke　me　by　the　halter；　to　prove　my　patience；　but　I　taking　each　thing　in　good　part；　disproved　their　mad　presumption；　by　my　meeke　and　gentle　behaviour：　when　I　was　thus　delivered　from　this　double　danger；　the　next　day　I　was　laded　againe　with　the　goddesse　Siria；　and　other　trumpery；　and　was　brought　into　the　way　with　Trumpets　and　Cymbals　to　beg　in　the　villages　which　we　passed　by　according　to　our　custome。　And　after　that　we　had　gone　through　a　few　towns　and　Castles；　we　fortuned　to　come　to　a　certaine　village；　which　was　builded　（as　the　inhabitants　there　affirme）　upon　the　foundation　of　a　famous　ancient　Citie。　And　after　that　we　had　turned　into　the　next　Inne；　we　heard　of　a　prettie　jest　committed　in　the　towne　there；　which　I　would　that　you　should　know　likewise。



　THE　THIRTY…EIGHTH　CHAPTER


　Of　the　deceipt　of　a　Woman　which　made　her　husband　Cuckold。

There　was　a　man　dwelling　in　the　towne　very　poore；　that　had　nothing　but　that　which　he　got　by　the　labour　and　travell　of　his　hands：　his　wife　was　a　faire　young　woman；　but　very　lascivious；　and　given　to　the　appetite　and　desire　of　the　flesh。　　It　fortuned　on　a　day；　that　while　this　poore　man　was　gone　betimes　in　the　morning　to　the　field　about　his　businesse；　according　as　he　accustomed　to　doe；　his　wives　lover　secretly　came　into　his　house　to　have　his　pleasure　with　her。　　And　so　it　chanced　that　during　the　time　that　shee　and　he　were　basking　together；　her　husband　suspecting　no　such　matter；　returned　home　praising　the　chast　continency　of　his　wife；　in　that　hee　found　his　doores　fast　closed；　wherefore　as　his　custome　was；　he　whistled　to　declare　his　comming。　　Then　his　crafty　wife　ready　with　shifts；　caught　her　lover　and　covered　him　under　a　great　tub　standing　in　a　corner；　and　therewithall　she　opened　the　doore；　blaming　her　husband　in　this　sort　：　Commest　thou　home　every　day　with　empty　hands；　and　bringest　nothing　to　maintaine　our　house？　thou　hast　no　regard　for　our　profit；　neither　providest　for　any　meate　or　drinke；　whereas　I　poore　wretch　doe　nothing　day　and　night　but　occupie　my　selfe　with　spinning；　and　yet　my　travell　will　scarce　find　the　Candels　which　we　spend。　　O　how　much　more　happy　is　my　neighbour　Daphne；　that　eateth　and　drinketh　at　her　pleasure　and　passeth　the　time　with　her　amorous　lovers　according　to　her　desire。　　What　is　the　matter　（quoth　her　husband）　though　Our　Master　hath　made　holiday　at　the　fields；　yet　thinke　not　but　I　have　made　provision　for　our　supper；　doest　thou　not　see　this　tub　that　keepeth　a　place　here　in　our　house　in　vaine；　and　doth　us　no　service？　　Behold　I　have　sold　it　to　a　good　fellow　（that　is　here　present）　for　five　pence；　wherefore　I　pray　thee　lend　me　thy　hand；　that　I　may　deliver　him　the　tub。　　His　wife　（having　invented　a　present　shift）　laughed　on　her　husband；　saying　：　What　marchant　I　pray　you　have　you　brought　home　hither；　to　fetch　away　my　tub　for　five　pence；　for　which　I　poore　woman　that　sit　all　day　alone　in　my　house　have　beene　proffered　so　often　seaven　：　her　husband　being　well　apayed　of　her　words　demanded　what　he　was　that　had　bought　the　tub　：　Looke　（quoth　she）　he　is　gone　under；　to　see　where　it　be　sound　or　no　：　then　her　lover　which　was　under　the　tub；　began　to　stirre　and　rustle　himselfe；　and　because　his　words　might　agree　to　the　words　of　the　woman；　he　sayd　：　Dame　will　you　have　me　tell　the　truth；　this　tub　is　rotten　and　crackt　as　me　seemeth　on　every　side。　And　then　turning　to　her　husband　sayd　：　I　pray　you　honest　man　light　a　Candle；　that　I　may　make　cleane　the　tub　within；　to　see　if　it　be　for　my　purpose　or　no。　for　I　doe　not　mind　to　cast　away　my　money　wilfully　：　he　by　and　by　（being　made　a　very　Oxe）　lighted　a　candle；　saying；　I　pray　you　good　brother　put　not　your　selfe　to　so　much　paine；　let　me　make　the　tub　cleane　and　ready　for　you。　Whereupon　he　put　off　his　coate；　and　crept　under　the　tub　to　rub　away　the　filth　from　the　sides。　　In　the　meane　season　this　minion　lover　cast　his　wife　on　the　bottome　of　the　tub　and　had　his　pleasure　with　her　over　his　head；　and　as　he　was　in　the　middest　of　his　pastime；　hee　turned　his　head　on　this　side　and　that　side；　finding　fault　with　this　and　with　that；　till　as　they　had　both　ended　their　businesse；　when　as　he　delivered　seaven　pence　for　the　tub；　and　caused　the　good　man　himselfe　to　carry　it　on　his　backe　againe　to　his　Inne。


THE　THIRTY…NINTH　CHAPTER


How　the　Priests　of　the　goddesse　Siria　were　taken　and　put　in　prison；　and　how　Apuleius　was　sold　to　a　Baker。

After　that　we　had　tarried　there　a　few　dayes　at　the　cost　and　charges　of　the　whole　Village；　and　had　gotten　much　mony　by　our　divination　and　prognostication　of　things　to　come：　　The　priests　of　the　goddesse　Siria　invented　a　new　meanes　to　picke　mens　purses；　for　they　had　cert