the golden asse-第36节

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ge　the　diversity　of　these　two　Lovers　：　Know　you　not　one　Barbarus　a　Senator　of　our　towne；　whom　the　vulgar　people　call　likewise　Scorpion　for　his　severity　of　manners？　This　Barbarus　had　a　gentlewoman　to　his　wife；　whom　he　caused　daily　to　be　enclosed　within　his　house；　with　diligent　custody。　Then　the　Bakers　wife　said；　I　know　her　very　well；　for　we　two　dwelleth　together　in　one　house：　　Then　you　know　（quoth　the　old　woman）　the　whole　tale　of　Philesiterus？　No　verily　（said　she）　but　I　greatly　desire　to　know　it　：　therefore　I　pray　you　mother　tell　me　the　whole　story。　　By　and　by　the　old　woman　which　knew　well　to　babble；　began　to　tell　as　followeth。



THE　FORTY…FIRST　CHAPTER


How　Barbarus　being　jealous　over　his　wife；　commanded　that　shee　should　be　kept　close　in　his　house；　and　what　happened。

You　shall　understand　that　on　a　day　this　Barbarus　preparing　himselfe　to　ride　abroad；　and　willing　to　keepe　the　chastity　of　his　wife　（whom　he　so　well　loved）　alone　to　himselfe；　called　his　man　Myrmex　（whose　faith　he　had　tryed　and　proved　in　many　things）　and　secretly　committed　to　him　the　custody　of　his　wife；　willing　him　that　he　should　threaten；　that　if　any　man　did　but　touch　her　with　his　finger　as　he　passed　by；　he　would　not　onely　put　him　in　prison；　and　bind　him　hand　and　foote；　but　also　cause　him　to　be　put　to　death；　or　else　to　be　famished　for　lacke　of　sustenance；　which　words　he　confirmed　by　an　oath　of　all　the　Gods　in　heaven；　and　so　departed　away　：　When　Barbarus　was　gone；　Myrmex　being　greatly　astonied　of　his　masters　threatnings；　would　not　suffer　his　mistresse　to　goe　abroad；　but　as　she　sate　all　day　a　Spinning；　he　was　so　carefull　that　he　sate　by　her；　when　night　came　he　went　with　her　to　the　baines；　holding　her　by　the　garment；　so　faithfull　he　was　to　fulfill　the　commandement　of　his　master　：　Howbeit　the　beauty　of　this　matron　could　not　be　hidden　from　the　burning　eyes　of　Philesiterus；　who　considering　her　great　chastity　and　how　she　was　diligently　kept　by　Myrmex；　thought　it　impossible　to　have　his　purpose；　yet　（indeavouring　by　all　kind　of　meanes　to　enterprise　the　matter；　and　remembring　the　fragility　of　man；　that　might　be　intised　and　corrupted　with　money；　since　as　by　gold　the　adamant　gates　may　be　opened）　on　a　day；　when　he　found　Myrmex　alone；　he　discovered　his　love；　desiring　him　to　shew　his　favour；　（otherwise　he　should　certainly　dye）　with　assurance　that　he　need　not　to　feare　when　as　he　might　privily　be　let　in　and　out　in　the　night；　without　knowledge　of　any　person。　　When　he　thought；　with　these　and　other　gentle　words　to　allure　and　prick　forward　the　obstinate　mind　of　Myrmex　he　shewed　him　glittering　gold　in　his　hand；　saying　that　he　would　give　his　mistresse　twenty　crowns　and　him　ten；　but　Myrmex　hearing　these　words；　was　greatly　troubled；　abhorring　in　his　mind　to　commit　such　a　mischiefe：　　wherfore　he　stopped　his　eares；　and　turning　his　head　departed　away：　　howbeit　the　glittering　view　of　these　crownes　could　never　be　out　of　his　mind；　but　being　at　home　he　seemed　to　see　the　money　before　his　eyes；　which　was　so　worthy　a　prey；　wherefore　poore　Myrmex　being　in　divers　opinions　could　not　tell　what　to　doe；　for　on　the　one　side　lie　considered　the　promise　which　he　made　to　his　master；　and　the　punishment　that　should　ensue　if　he　did　contrary。　　On　the　other　side　he　thought　of　the　gaine；　and　the　passing　pleasure　of　the　crownes　of　gold；　in　the　end　the　desire　of　the　money　did　more　prevaile　then　the　feare　of　death；　for　the　beauty　of　the　flowrishing　crownes　did　so　sticke　in　his　mind；　that　where　the　menaces　of　his　master　compelled　him　to　tarry　at　home；　the　pestilent　avarice　of　gold　egged　him　out　a　doores；　wherefore　putting　all　shame　aside；　without　further　delay；　he　declared　all　the　whole　matter　to　his　Mistresse；　who　according　to　the　nature　of　a　woman；　when　she　heard　him　speake　of　so　great　a　summe　she　bound　chastity　in　a　string；　and　gave　authority　to　Myrmex　to　rule　her　in　that　case。　Myrmex　seeing　the　intent　of　his　Mistresse；　was　very　glad；　and　for　great　desire　of　the　gold；　he　ran　hastily　to　Philesiterus；　declaring　that　his　Mistresse　was　consented　to　his　mind；　wherefore　he　demanded　the　gold　which　he　promised。　Then　incontinently　Philesiterus　delivered　him　tenne　Crownes；　and　when　night　came；　Myrmex　brought　him　disguised　into　his　mistresses　Chamber。　　About　Midnight　when　he　and　she　were　naked　together；　making　sacrifice　unto　the　Goddesse　Venus；　behold　her　husband　（contrary　to　their　expectation）　came　and　knocked　at　the　doore；　calling　with　a　loud　voice　to　his　Servant　Myrmex　：　whose　long　tarrying　increased　the　suspition　of　his　Master；　in　such　sort　that　he　threatned　to　beat　Myrmex　cruelly　：　but　he　being　troubled　with　feare；　and　driven　to　his　latter　shifts；　excused　the　matter　saying　：　that　he　could　not　find　the　key　：　by　reason　it　was　so　darke。　In　the　meane　season　Philesiterus　hearing　the　noise　at　the　doore；　slipt　on　his　coat　and　privily　ran　out　of　the　Chamber。　When　Myrmex　had　opened　the　doore　to　his　Master　that　threatned　terribly；　and　had　let　him　in；　he　went　into　the　Chamber　to　his　wife　：　In　the　mean　while　Myrmex　let　out　Philesiterus；　and　barred　the　doores　fast；　and　went　againe　to　bed。　　The　next　morning　when　Barbarus　awaked；　he　perceived　two　unknown　slippers　lying　under　his　bed；　which　Philesiterus　had　forgotten　when　he　went　away。　Then　he　conceived　a　great　suspition　and　jealousie　in　mind；　howbeit　he　would　not　discover　it　to　his　wife；　neither　to　any　other　person；　but　putting　secretly　the　slippers　into　his　bosome；　commanded　his　other　Servants　to　bind　Myrmex　incontinently；　and　to　bring　him　bound　to　the　Justice　after　him；　thinking　verily　that　by　the　meane　of　the　slippers　he　might　boult　out　the　matter。　　It　fortuned　that　while　Barbarus　went　towards　the　Justice　in　a　fury　and　rage；　and　Myrmex　fast　bound；　followed　him　weeping；　not　because　he　was　accused　before　his　master；　but　by　reason　he　knew　his　owne　conscience　guilty　：　behold　by　adventure　Philesiterus　（going　about　earnest　businesse）　fortuned　to　meet　with　them　by　the　way；　who　fearing　the　matter　which　he　committed　the　night　before；　and　doubting　lest　it　should　be　knowne；　did　suddainly　invent　a　meane　to　excuse　Myrmex；　for　he　ran　upon　him　and　beate　him　about　the　head　with　his　fists；　saying　：　Ah　mischievous　varlet　that　thou　art；　and　perjured　knave。　　It　were　a　good　deed　if　the　Goddesse　and　thy　master　here；　would　put　thee　to　death；　for　thou　art　worthy　to　be　imprisoned　and　to　weare　out　these　yrons；　that　stalest　my　slippers　away　when　thou　werest　at　my　baines　yester　night。　Barbarus　hearing　this　returned　incontinently　home；　and　called　his　servant　Myrmex；　commanding　him　to　deliver　the　slippers　againe　to　the　right　owner。

　The　old　woman　had　scant　finished　her　tale　when　the　Bakers　wife　gan　say　：　Verily　she　is　blessed　and　most　blessed；　that　hath　the　fruition　of　so　worthy　a　lover；　but　as　for　me　poore　miser；　I　am　fallen　into　the　hands　of　a　coward；　who　is　not　onely　afraid　of　my　husband　but　also　of　every　clap　of　the　mill；　and　dares　not　doe　nothing；　before　the　blind　face　of　yonder　scabbed　Asse。　　Then　the　old　woman　answered；　I　promise　you　certainly　if　you　will；　you　shall　have　this　young　man　at　your　pleasure；　and　therewithall　when　night　came；　she　departed　out　of　her　chamber。　　In　the　meane　season；　the　Bakers　wife　made　ready　a　supper　with　abundance　of　wine　and　exquisite　fare　：　so　that　there　lacked　nothing；　but　the　comming　of　the　young　man；　for　her　husband　supped　at　one　of　her　neighbours　houses。　When　time　came　that　my　harnesse　should　be　taken　off　and　that　I　should　rest　my　selfe；　I　was　not　so　joyfull　of　my　liberty；　as　when　the　vaile　was　taken　from　mine　eyes；　I　should　see　all　the　abhomination　of　this　mischievous　queane。　　When　night　was　come　and　the　Sunne　gone　downe；　behold　the　old　bawd　and　the　young　man；　who　seemed　to　be　but　a　child；　by　reason　he　had　no　beard；　came　to　the　doore。　Then　the　Bakers　wife　kissed　him　a　thousand　times　and　received　him　courteously；　placed　him　downe　at　the　table　：　but　he　had　scarce　eaten　the　first　morsell；　when　the　good　man　（contrary　to　his　wives　expectation）　returned　home；　for　she　thought　he　would　not　have　come　so　soone　：　but　Lord　how　she　cursed　him；　praying　God　that　he　might　breake　his　necke　at　the　first　entry　in。　　In　the　meane　season；　she　caught　her　lover　and　thrust　him　into　the　bin　where　she　bolted　her　flower；　and　dissembling　the　matter；　finely　came　to　her　husband　demanding　why　he　came　home　so　soone。　I　could　not　abide　（quoth　he）　to　see　so　great　a　mischiefe　and　wicked　fact；　which　my　neighbours　wife　committed；　but　I　must　run　away　：　O　harlot　as　she　is；　how　hath　she　dishonoured　her　husband；　I　sweare　by　the　goddesse　Ceres；　that　if　I　had　＇not＇　seene　it　with　mine　eyes；　I　would　never　I　have　beleeved　it。　　His　wife　desirous　to　know　the　matter；　desired　him　to　tell　what　she　had　done：　then　hee　accorded　to　the　request　of　his　wife；　and　ignorant　of　the　estate　of　his　own　house；　declared　the　mischance　of　another。　　You　shall　understand　（quoth　he）　that　the　wife　of　the　Fuller　my　companion；　who　seemed　to　me　a　wise　and　chast　woman；　regarding　her　own　honesty　and　profit　of　her　house；　was　found　this　night　with　her　knave。　　For　while　we　went　to　wash　our　hands；　hee　and　she　were　together　：　who　being　troubled　with　our　presence　ran　into　a　corner；　and　she　thrust　him　into　a　mow　made　with　twigs；　appoynted　to　lay　on　clothes　to　make　them　white　with　the　smoake　of　fume　and　brymstone。　　Then　she　sate　down　with　us　at　the　table　t