the golden asse-第27部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


er　breast；　and　came　presently　into　the　stable；　saying；　Is　it　reason　that　this　carelesse　beast　should　do　nothing　all　day　but　hold　his　head　in　the　manger；　filling　and　belling　his　guts　with　meat　without　compassion　of　my　great　miserie；　or　remembrance　of　the　pittiful　death　of　his　slaine　Master　：　and　contemning　my　age　and　infirmity；　thinketh　that　I　am　unable　to　revenge　his　mischiefs；　moreover　he　would　perswade　me；　that　he　were　not　culpable。　　Indeed；　it　is　a　convenient　thing　to　looke　and　plead　for　safety；　when　as　the　conscience　doeth　confesse　the　offence；　as　theeves　and　malefactors　accustome　to　do。　　But　O　good　Lord；　thou　cursed　beast；　if　thou　couldest　utter　the　contents　of　thine　owne　mind；　whom　（though　it　were　the　veriest　foole　in　all　the　world）　mightest　thou　perswade　that　this　murther　was　voide　or　without　thy　fault；　when　as　it　lay　in　thy　power；　either　to　keepe　off　the　theeves　with　thy　heeles；　or　else　to　bite　and　teare　them　with　thy　teeth？　　Couldest　not　thou　（that　so　often　in　his　life　time　diddest　spurne　and　kicke　him）　defend　him　now　at　the　point　of　death　by　the　like　meane？　　Yet　at　least；　thou　shouldest　have　taken　him　upon　thy　backe；　and　so　brought　him　from　the　cruell　hands　of　the　theeves　：　where　contrary　thou　runnest　away　alone；　forsaking　thy　good　Master；　thy　pastor　and　conductor。　　Knowest　thou　not；　that　such　as　denie　their　wholsome　help　and　aid　to　them　which　lie　in　danger　of　death；　ought　to　be　punished；　because　they　have　offended　against　good　manners；　and　the　law　naturall？　But　I　promise　thee；　thou　shalt　not　long　rejoyce　at　my　harmes；　thou　shalt　feele　the　smart　of　thy　homicide　and　offence；　I　will　see　what　I　can　doe。　　And　therewithall　she　unclosed　her　apron；　and　bound　all　my　feete　together；　to　the　end　I　might　not　help　my　selfe；　then　she　tooke　a　great　barre；　which　accustomed　to　bar　the　stable　doore；　and　never　ceased　beating　me　till　she　was　so　weary　that　the　bar　fell　out　of　her　hands；　whereupon　she　（complaining　of　the　soone　faintnesse　of　her　armes）　ran　to　her　fire　and　brought　a　firebrand　and　thrust　it　under　my　taile；　burning　me　continually；　till　such　time　as　（having　but　one　remedy）　I　arayed　her　face　and　eies　with　my　durty　dunge；　whereby　（what　with　the　stinke　thereof；　and　what　with　the　filthinesse　that　fell　in　her　eies）　she　was　welnigh　blinded　：　so　I　enforced　the　queane　to　leave　off；　otherwise　I　had　died　as　Meleager　did　by　the　sticke；　which　his　mad　mother　Althea　cast　into　the　fire。




THE　EIGHTH　BOOKE



THE　THIRTY…SECOND　CHAPTER


How　a　young　man　came　and　declared　the　miserable　death　of　Lepolemus　and　his　wife　Charites。

　About　midnight　came　a　young　man；　which　seemed　to　be　one　of　the　family　of　the　good　woman　Charites；　who　sometimes　endured　so　much　misery　and　calamity　with　mee　amongst　the　theeves；　who　after　that　hee　had　taken　a　stoole；　and　sate　downe　before　the　fireside；　　in　the　company　of　the　servants；　began　to　declare　many　terrible　things　that　had　happened　unto　the　house　of　Charites；　saying：　O　yee　house…keepers；　shepheards　and　cowheards；　you　shall　understand　that　wee　have　lost　our　good　mistris　Charites　miserably　and　by　evill　adventure：　and　to　the　end　you　may　learne　and　know　all　the　whole　matter；　I　purpose　to　tell　you　the　circumstances　of　every　point；　whereby　such　as　are　more　learned　then　I　（to　whom　fortune　hath　ministred　more　copious　stile）　may　painte　it　out　in　paper　in　forme　of　an　History。　There　was　a　young　Gentleman　dwelling　in　the　next　City；　borne　of　good　parentage；　valiant　in　prowesse；　and　riche　in　substance；　but　very　much　given　and　adicted　to　whorehunting；　and　continuall　revelling。　　Whereby　he　fell　in　company　with　Theeves；　and　had　his　hand　ready　to　the　effusion　of　humane　blood；　his　name　was　Thrasillus。　The　matter　was　this　according　to　the　report　of　every　man。　　Hee　demanded　Charites　in　marriage；　who　although　he　were　a　man　more　comely　then　the　residue　that　wooed　her；　and　also　had　riches　abundantly；　yet　because　he　was　of　evill　fame；　and　a　man　of　wicked　manners　and　conversation；　he　had　the　repulse　and　was　put　off　by　Charites；　and　so　she　married　with　Lepolemus。　　Howbeit　this　young　man　secretly　loved　her；　yet　moved　somewhat　at　her　refusall；　hee　busily　searched　some　meanes　to　worke　his　damnable　intent。　And　（having　found　occasion　and　opportunity　to　accomplish　his　purpose；　which　he　had　long　time　concealed）　brought　to　passe；　that　the　same　day　that　Charites　was　delivered　by　the　subtill　meane　and　valiant　audacity　of　her　husband；　from　the　puissance　of　the　Theeves；　he　mingled　himselfe　among　the　assembly；　faining　that　he　was　glad　of　the　new　marriage；　and　comming　home　againe　of　the　maiden；　Whereby　（by　reason　that　he　came　of　so　noble　parents）　he　was　received　and　entertained　into　the　house　as　one　of　their　chiefe　and　principall　friends　：　Howbeit　under　cloake　of　a　faithfull　welwiller；　hee　dissimuled　his　mischievous　mind　and　intent　：　in　continuance　of　time　by　much　familiarity　and　often　conversation　and　banketting　together；　he　fell　more　and　more　in　favour；　like　as　we　see　it　fortuneth　to　Lovers；　who　first　doe　little　delight　themselves　in　love　：　till　as　by　continuall　acquaintance　they　kisse　and　imbrace　each　other。　Thrasillus　perceiving　that　it　was　a　hard　matter　to　breake　his　minde　secretly　to　Charites；　whereby　he　was　wholly　barred　from　the　accomplishment　of　his　luxurious　appetite；　and　on　the　other　side　perceiving　that　the　love　of　her　and　her　husband　was　so　strongly　lincked　together；　that　the　bond　betweene　them　might　in　no　wise　be　dissevered；　moreover；　it　was　a　thing　impossible　to　ravish　her；　although　he　had　consented　thereto；　yet　was　hee　still　provoked　forward　by　vehement　lust；　when　as　hee　saw　himselfe　unable　to　bring　his　purpose　to　passe。　　Howbeit　at　length　the　thing　which　seemed　so　hard　and　difficill；　thorough　hope　of　his　fortified　love；　did　now　appeare　easie　and　facill　：　but　marke　I　pray　you　diligently　to　what　end　the　furious　force　of　his　inordinate　desire　came。　　On　a　day　Lepolemus　went　to　the　chase　with　Thrasillus；　to　hunt　for　Goates；　for　his　wife　Charites　desired　him　earnestly　to　meddle　with　no　other　beasts；　which　were　of　more　fierce　and　wilde　nature。　　When　they　were　come　within　the　chase　to　a　great　thicket　fortressed　about　with　bryers　and　thornes；　they　compassed　round　with　their　Dogs　and　beset　every　place　with　nets　：　by　and　by　warning　was　given　to　let　loose。　　The　Dogs　rushed　in　with　such　a　cry；　that　all　the　Forrest　rang　againe　with　the　noyse；　but　behold　there　leaped　out　no　Goat；　nor　Deere；　nor　gentle　Hinde；　but　an　horrible　and　dangerous　wild　Boare；　hard　and　thicke　skinned；　bristeled　terribly　with　thornes；　foming　at　the　mouth；　grinding　his　teeth；　and　looking　direfully　with　fiery　eyes。　The　Dogs　that　first　set　upon　him；　he　tare　and　rent　with　his　tuskes；　and　then　he　ranne　quite　through　the　nets；　and　escaped　away。　When　wee　saw　the　fury　of　this　beast；　wee　were　greatly　striken　with　feare；　and　because　wee　never　accustomed　to　chase　such　dreadfull　Boares；　and　further　because　we　were　unarmed　and　without　weapons；　we　got　and　hid　our　selves　under　bushes　and　trees。　　Then　Thrasillus　having　found　opportunity　to　worke　his　treason；　said　to　Lepolemus　：　What　stand　we　here　amazed？　　Why　show　we　our　selves　like　dastards？　　Why　leese　we　so　worthy　a　prey　with　our　feminine　hearts？　　Let　us　mount　upon　our　Horses；　and　pursue　him　incontinently　：　take　you　a　hunting　staffe；　and　I　will　take　a　chasing　speare。　　By　and　by　they　leaped　upon　their　Horses；　and　followed　the　beast。　　But　hee　returning　against　them　with　furious　force；　pryed　with　his　eyes；　on　whom　hee　might　first　assayle　with　his　tuskes　：　Lepolemus　strooke　the　beast　first　on　the　backe　with　his　hunting　staffe。　　Thrasillus　faining　to　ayde　and　assist　him；　came　behind；　and　cut　off　the　hinder　legges　of　Lepolemus　Horse；　in　such　sort　that　hee　fell　downe　to　the　ground　with　his　master　：　and　sodainely　the　Boare　came　upon　Lepolemus　and　furiously　tare　and　rent　him　with　his　teeth。　　Howbeit；　Thrasillus　was　not　sufficed　to　see　him　thus　wounded；　but　when　he　desired　his　friendly　help；　he　thrust　Lepolemus　through　the　right　thigh　with　his　speare；　the　more　because　he　thought　the　wound　of　the　speare　would　be　taken　for　a　wound　of　the　Boars　teeth；　then　he　killed　the　beast　likewise；　And　when　he　was　thus　miserably　slaine；　every　one　of　us　came　out　of　our　holes；　and　went　towards　our　slaine　master。　But　although　that　Thrasillus　was　joyfull　of　the　death　of　Lepolemus；　whom　he　did　greatly　hate；　yet　he　cloked　the　matter　with　a　sorrowfull　countenance；　he　fained　a　dolorous　face；　he　often　imbraced　the　body　which　himselfe　slew；　he　played　all　the　parts　of　a　mourning　person；　saving　there　fell　no　teares　from　his　eyes。　　Thus　hee　resembled　us　in　each　point；　who　verily　and　not　without　occasion　had　cause　to　lament　for　our　master；　laying　all　the　blame　of　this　homicide　unto　the　Boare。　　Incontinently　after　the　sorrowfull　newes　of　the　death　of　Lepolemus；　came　to　the　eares　of　all　the　family；　but　especially　to　Charites；　who　after　she　had　heard　such　pitifull　tydings；　as　a　mad　and　raging　woman；　ran　up　and　down　the　streets；　crying　and　howling　lamentably。　All　the　Citizens　gathered　together；　and　such　as　they　met　bare　them　company　running　towards　the　chasse。　　When　they　came　to　the　slaine　body　of　Lepolemus；　Charites　threw　her　selfe　upon　him　weeping　and　lamenting　grievously　for　his　death；　in　such　sort；　that　she　would　have　presently　ended　her　life；　upon　the　corps　of　her　slaine　husband；　whom　shee　so　entirely　loved；　had　it　not　beene　that　her　parents　and　friends　did　comfort　her；　and　pulled　her　away。　The　body　was　taken　up；　and　in　funerall　pompe　brought　to　the　City　and　buried。　　In　the　meane　season；　Thrasillus　fained　much　sorrow　for　the　death　of　Lepolemus；　but　in　his　heart　he　was　well　pleased　and　joyfull。　　And　to　counterfeit　the　matter；　he　would　come　to　Charites　and　say　：　O　what　a　losse　have　I　had　of　my　friend；　my　fellow；　my　companion　Lepolemus？　O　Charites　comfort　your　selfe；　pacifie　your　dolour；　refraine　your　weeping；　beat　not　your　breasts　：　and　with　such　other　and　like　words　and　divers　examples　he　endeavoured　to　suppresse　her　great　sorrow；　but　he　spake　not　this　for　any　other　intent　but　to　win　the　heart　of　the　woman；　and　to　nourish　his　odious　love　with　filthy　delight。　　Howbeit　Charites　after　the　buriall　of　her　husband　sought　the　meanes　to　follow　him；　and　（not　sustaining　the　sorrows　wherein　she　was　Wrapped）　got　her　secretly　into　a　chamber　and　purposed　to　finish　her　life　there　with　dolour　and