the golden asse-第11节

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hing　for　him　that　is　accused　to　have　slaine　three　persons；　to　perswade　you　that　he　is　innocent；　although　he　should　declare　the　whole　truth；　and　confesse　the　matter　how　it　was　indeed　；　but　if　your　honours　will　vouchsafe　to　　give　me　audience；　I　will　shew　you；　that　if　I　am　condemned　to　die；　I　have　not　deserved　it　as　myne　owne　desert；　but　that　I　was　mooved　by　fortune　and　reasonable　cause　to　doe　that　fact。　　For　returning　somewhat　late　from　supper　yester　night　（beeing　well　tippled　with　wine；　which　I　will　not　deny）　and　approaching　nigh　to　my　common　lodging；　which　was　in　the　house　of　one　Milo　a　Citisen　of　this　city；　I　fortuned　to　espy　three　great　theeves　attempting　to　break　down　his　walls　and　gates；　and　to　open　the　locks　to　enter　in。　　And　when　they　had　removed　the　dores　out　of　the　hookes；　they　consulted　amongst　themselves；　how　they　would　handle　such　as　they　found　in　the　house。　　And　one　of　them　being　of　more　courage；　and　of　greater　stature　than　the　rest；　spake　unto　his　fellows　and　sayd；　Tush　you　are　but　boyes；　take　mens　hearts　unto　you；　and　let　us　enter　into　every　part　of　the　house；　and　such　as　we　find　asleep　let　us　kill；　and　so　by　that　meanes　we　shall　escape　without　danger。　　Verily　ye　three　Judges；　I　confess　that　I　drew　out　my　sword　against　those　three　Citizens；　but　I　thought　it　was　the　office　and　duty　of　one　that　beareth　good　will　to　this　weale　publique；　so　to　doe；　especially　since　they　put　me　in　great　fear；　and　assayed　to　rob　and　spoyl　my　friend　Milo。　　But　when　those　cruell　and　terrible　men　would　in　no　case　run　away；　nor　feare　my　naked　sword；　but　boldly　resist　against　me；　I　ran　upon　them　and　fought　valiantly。　　One　of　them　which　was　the　captain　invaded　me　strongly；　and　drew　me　by　the　haire　with　both　his　hands；　and　began　to　beat　me　with　a　great　stone　：　but　in　the　end　I　proved　the　hardier　man；　and　threw　him　downe　at　my　feet　and　killed　him。　　I　tooke　likewise　the　second　that　clasped　me　about　the　legs　and　bit　me；　and　slew　him　also。　　And　the　third　that　came　running　violently　against　me；　after　that　I　had　strucken　him　under　the　stomacke　fell　downe　dead。　　Thus　when　I　had　delivered　my　selfe；　the　house；　Myne　host；　and　all　his　family　from　this　present　danger；　I　thought　that　I　should　not　onely　escape　unpunished；　but　also　have　some　great　reward　of　the　city　for　my　paines。

Moreover；　I　that　have　always　been　clear　and　unspotted　of　crime；　and　that　have　esteemed　myne　innocency　above　all　the　treasure　of　the　world；　can　finde　no　reasonable　cause　why　upon　myne　accusation　I　should　be　condemned　to　die；　since　first　I　was　mooved　to　set　upon　the　theeves　by　just　occasion。　　Secondly；　because　there　is　none　that　can　affirm；　that　there　hath　been　at　any　time　either　grudge　or　hatred　between　us。　　Thirdly；　we　were　men　meere　strangers　and　of　no　acquaintance。　　Last　of　all；　no　man　can　prove　that　I　committed　that　fact　for　lucre　or　gaine。

When　I　had　ended　my　words　in　this　sort；　behold；　I　weeped　againe　pitteously；　and　holding　up　my　hands　I　prayed　all　the　people　by　the　mercy　of　the　Commonweale　and　for　the　love　of　my　poore　infants　and　children；　to　shew　me　some　pitty　and　favour。　　And　when　my　hearts　were　somewhat　relented　and　mooved　by　my　lamentable　teares；　I　called　all　the　gods　to　witnesse　that　I　was　unguilty　of　the　crime；　and　so　to　their　divine　providence；　I　committed　my　present　estate；　but　turning　my　selfe　againe；　I　perceived　that　all　the　people　laughed　exceedingly；　and　especially　my　good　friend　and　host　Milo。　Then　thought　I　with　my　selfe；　Alasse　where　is　faith？　　Where　is　remorse　of　conscience？　　Behold　I　am　condemned　to　die　as　a　murtherer；　for　the　safeguard　of　myne　Host　Milo　and　his　family。　Yet　is　he　not　contented　with　that；　but　likewise　laugheth　me　to　scorne；　when　otherwise　he　should　comfort　and　help　mee。



THE　FOURTEENTH　CHAPTER


How　Apuleius　was　accused　by　two　women；　and　how　the　slaine　bodies　were　found　blowne　bladders。

When　this　was　done；　out　came　a　woman　in　the　middle　of　the　Theatre　arrayed　in　mourning　vesture；　and　bearing　a　childe　in　her　armes。　　And　after　her　came　an　old　woman　in　ragged　robes；　crying　and　howling　likewise　：　and　they　brought　with　them　the　Olive　boughs　wherewith　the　three　slaine　bodies　were　covered　on　the　Beere；　and　cried　out　in　this　manner　：　O　right　Judges；　we　pray　by　the　justice　and　humanity　which　is　in　you；　to　have　mercy　upon　these　slaine　persons；　and　succour　our　Widowhood　and　losse　of　our　deare　husbands；　and　especially　this　poore　infant；　who　is　now　an　Orphan；　and　deprived　of　all　good　fortune　：　and　execute　your　justice　by　order　and　law；　upon　the　bloud　of　this　Theefe；　who　is　the　occasion　of　all　our　sorrowes。　When　they　had　spoken　these　words；　one　of　the　most　antient　Judges　did　rise　and　say；　Touching　this　murther；　which　deserveth　great　punishment；　this　malefactor　himselfe　cannot　deny；　but　our　duty　is　to　enquire　and　try　out；　whether　he　had　Coadjutors　to　help　him。　　For　it　is　not　likely　that　one　man　alone　could　kill　three　such　great　and　valiant　persons；　wherefore　the　truth　must　be　tried　out　by　the　racke；　and　so　wee　shall　learne　what　other　companions　he　hath；　and　root　out　the　nest　of　these　mischievous　murtherers。　　And　there　was　no　long　delay；　but　according　to　the　custome　of　Grecia；　the　fire；　the　wheele；　and　many　other　torments　were　brought　in。　　Then　my　sorrow　encreased　or　rather　doubled；　in　that　I　could　not　end　my　life　with　whole　and　unperished　members。　　And　by　and　by　the　old　woman；　who　troubled　all　the　Court　with　her　howling；　desired　the　Judges；　that　before　I　should　be　tormented　on　the　racke；　I　might　uncover　the　bodies　which　I　had　slaine；　that　every　man　might　see　their　comely　shape　and　youthfull　beauty；　and　that　I　might　receive　condign　and　worthy　punishment；　according　to　the　quality　of　my　offence　：　and　therewithall　shee　made　a　sign　of　joy。　　Then　the　Judge　commanded　me　forthwith　to　discover　the　bodies　of　the　slain；　lying　upon　the　beere；　with　myne　own　handes；　but　when　I　refused　a　good　space；　by　reason　I　would　not　make　my　fact　apparent　to　the　eies　of　all　men；　the　Sergeant　charged　me　by　commandement　of　the　Judges；　and　thrust　me　forward　to　do　the　same。　　I　being　then　forced　by　necessity；　though　it　were　against　my　wil；　uncovered　the　bodies　：　but　O　good　Lord　　what　a　strange　sight　did　I　see；　what　a　monster？　What　sudden　change　of　all　my　sorrows？　　I　seemed　as　though　I　were　one　of　the　house　of　Proserpina　and　of　the　family　of　death；　insomuch　that　I　could　not　sufficiently　expresse　the　forme　of　this　new　sight；　so　far　was　I　amased　and　astonied　thereat　：　for　why；　the　bodies　of　the　three　slaine　men　were　no　bodies；　but　three　blown　bladders　mangled　in　divers　places；　and　they　seemed　to　be　wounded　in　those　parts　where　I　remembred　I　wounded　the　theeves　the　night　before。　Whereat　the　people　laughed　exceedingly　：　some　rejoyced　marvellously　at　the　remembrance　thereof；　some　held　their　stomackes　that　aked　with　joy；　but　every　man　delighted　at　this　passing　sport；　so　passed　out　of　the　theatre。　　But　I　from　the　time　that　I　uncovered　the　bodies　stood　stil　as　cold　as　ice；　no　otherwise　than　as　the　other　statues　and　images　there；　neither　came　I　into　my　right　senses；　until　such　time　as　Milo　my　Host　came　and　tooke　mee　by　the　hand；　and　with　civil　violence　lead　me　away　weeping　and　sobbing；　whether　I　would　or　no。　　And　because　that　I　might　be　seene；　he　brought　me　through　many　blind　wayes　and　lanes　to　his　house；　where　he　went　about　to　comfort　me；　beeing　sad　and　yet　fearfull；　with　gentle　entreaty　of　talke。　　But　he　could　in　no　wise　mitigate　my　impatiency　of　the　injury　which　I　conceived　within　my　minde。　　And　behold；　by　and　by　the　Magistrates　and　Judges　with　their　ensignes　entred　into　the　house；　and　endeavoured　to　pacify　mee　in　this　sort；　saying；　O　Lucius；　we　are　advertised　of　your　dignity；　and　know　the　genealogie　of　your　antient　lineage；　for　the　nobility　of　your　Kinne　doe　possesse　the　greatest　part　of　all　this　Province　：　and　thinke　not　that　you　have　suffered　the　thing　wherfore　you　weepe；　to　any　reproach　and　ignominy；　but　put　away　all　care　and　sorrow　out　of　your　minde。　　For　this　day；　which　we　celebrate　once　a　yeare　in　honour　of　the　god　Risus；　is　alwaies　renowned　with　some　solemne　novel；　and　the　god　doth　continually　accompany　with　the　inventor　therof；　and　wil　not　suffer　that　he　should　be　sorrowfull；　but　pleasantly　beare　a　joyfull　face。　　And　verily　all　the　City　for　the　grace　that　is　in　you；　intend　to　reward　you　with　great　honours；　and　to　make　you　a　Patron。　　And　further　that　your　statue　or　image　may　be　set　up　for　a　perpetuall　remembrance。

To　whome　I　answered；　As　for　such　benefits　as　I　have　received　of　the　famous　City　of　Thessaly；　I　yeeld　and　render　the　most　entire　thanks；　but　as　touching　the　setting　up　of　any　statues　or　images；　I　would　wish　that　they　should　bee　reserved　for　myne　Auntients；　and　such　as　are　more　worthy　than　I。

And　when　I　had　spoken　these　words　somewhat　gravely；　and　shewed　my　selfe　more　merry　than　I　was　before；　the　Judges　and　magistrates　departed；　and　I　reverently　tooke　my　leave　of　them；　and　bid　them　farewell。　　And　behold；　by　and　by　there　came　one　running　unto　me　in　haste；　and　sayd；　Sir；　your　cousin　Byrrhena　desireth　you　to　take　the　paines　according　to　your　promise　yester　night；　to　come　to　supper；　for　it　is　ready。　　　But　I　greatly　fearing　to　goe　any　more　to　her　house　in　the　night；　said　to　the　messenger；　My　friend　I　pray　you　tell　to　my　cousine　your　mistresse；　that　I　would　willingly　be　at