the golden asse-第38节

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ved；　yet　it　served　well　enough　considering　time　and　necessity。　　This　honest　man　to　recompence　our　entertainment；　promised　to　give　my　master　some　corne；　oyle；　and　two　bottels　of　wine　：　wherefore　my　master　not　delaying　the　matter；　laded　me　with　sackes　and　bottels；　and　rode　to　the　Towne　which　was　seaven　miles　off。

　When　we　came　to　the　honest　mans　house；　he　entertained　and　feasted　my　master　exceedingly。　　And　it　fortuned　while　they　eate　and　dranke　together　as　signe　of　great　amity　there　chanced　a　strange　and　dreadfull　case　：　for　there　was　a　Hen　which　ran　kackling　about　the　yard；　as　though　she　would　have　layed　an　Egge。　The　good　man　of　the　house　perceiving　her；　said　：　O　good　and　profitable　pullet　that　feedest　us　every　day　with　thy　fruit；　thou　seemest　as　though　thou　wouldest　give　us　some　pittance　for　our　dinner　：　Ho　boy　put　the　Pannier　in　the　corner　that　the　Hen　may　lay。　Then　the　boy　did　as　his　master　commanded；　but　the　Hen　forsaking　the　Pannier；　came　toward　her　master　and　laid　at　his　feet　not　an　Egge；　which　every　man　knoweth；　but　a　Chickin　with　feathers；　clawes；　and　eyes；　which　incontinently　ran　peeping　after　his　damme。　By　and　by　happened　a　more　strange　thing；　which　would　cause　any　man　to　abhorre：　under　the　Table　where　they　sate；　the　ground　opened；　and　there　appeared　a　great　well　and　fountain　of　bloud；　insomuch　that　the　drops　thereof　sparckled　about　the　Table。　　At　the　same　time　while　they　wondred　at　this　dreadfull　sight　one　of　the　Servants　came　running　out　of　the　Seller；　and　told　that　all　the　wine　was　boyled　out　of　the　vessels；　as　though　there　had　beene　some　great　fire　under。　　By　and　by　a　Weasel　was　scene　that　drew　into　the　house　a　dead　Serpent；　and　out　of　the　mouth　of　a　Shepheards　dog　leaped　a　live　frog；　and　immediately　after　one　brought　word　that　a　Ram　had　strangled　the　same　dog　at　one　bit。　　All　these　things　that　happened；　astonied　the　good　man　of　the　house；　and　the　residue　that　were　present；　insomuch　that　they　could　not　tell　what　to　doe；　or　with　what　sacrifice　to　appease　the　anger　of　the　gods。　　While　every　man　was　thus　stroken　in　feare；　behold；　one　brought　word　to　the　good　man　of　the　house；　that　his　three　sonnes　who　had　been　brought　up　in　good　literature；　and　endued　with　good　manners　were　dead；　for　they　three　had　great　acquaintance　and　ancient　amity　with　a　poore　man　which　was　their　neighbour；　and　dwelled　hard　by　them：　and　next　unto　him　dwelled　another　young　man　very　rich　both　in　lands　and　goods；　but　bending　from　the　race　of　his　progenies　dissentions；　and　ruling　himselfe　in　the　towne　according　to　his　owne　will。　This　young　royster　did　mortally　hate　this　poore　man；　insomuch　that　he　would　kill　his　sheepe；　steale　his　oxen；　and　spoyle　his　corne　and　other　fruits　before　the　time　of　ripenesse；　yet　was　he　not　contented　with　this；　but　he　would　encroch　upon　the　poore　mans　ground；　and　clayme　all　the　heritage　as　his　owne。　The　poore　man　which　was　very　simple　and　fearefull；　seeing　all　his　goods　taken　away　by　the　avarice　of　the　rich　man；　called　together　and　assembled　many　of　his　friends　to　shew　them　all　his　land；　to　the　end　he　might　have　but　so　much　ground　of　his　fathers　heritage；　as　might　bury　him。　Amongst　whom；　he　found　these　three　brethren；　as　friends　to　helpe　and　ayd　him　in　his　adversity　and　tribulation。

　Howbeit；　the　presence　of　these　honest　Citizens；　could　in　no　wise　perswade　him　to　leave　his　extort　power；　no　nor　yet　to　cause　any　temperance　of　his　tongue；　but　the　more　they　went　about　with　gentle　words　to　tell　him　his　faults；　the　more　would　he　fret　and　likewise　fume；　swearing　all　the　oathes　under　God；　that　he　little　regarded　the　presence　of　the　whole　City；　whereupon　incontinently　he　commanded　his　servants　to　take　the　poore　man　by　the　eares；　and　carry　him　out　of　his　ground；　which　greatly　offended　all　the　standers　by。　Then　one　of　the　brethren　spake　unto　him　somewhat　boldly；　saying　：　It　is　but　a　folly　to　have　such　affiance　in　your　riches；　whereby　you　should　use　your　tyranny　against　the　poore；　when　as　the　law　is　common　for　all　men；　and　a　redresse　may　be　had　to　suppresse　your　insolency。　These　words　chafed　him　more　then　the　burning　oile；　or　flaming　brimstone；　or　scourge　of　whipps；　saying　：　that　they　should　be　hanged　and　their　law　too；　before　he　would　be　subject　unto　any　person　：　and　therewithall　he　called　out　his　bandogges　and　great　masties；　which　accustomed　to　eate　the　carrion　and　carkases　of　dead　beasts　in　the　fields；　and　to　set　upon　such　as　passed　by　the　way：　then　he　commanded　they　should　be　put　upon　all　the　assistance　to　teare　them　in　peeces　：　who　as　soone　as　they　heard　the　hisse　of　their　master；　ran　fiercely　upon　them　invading　them　on　every　side；　insomuch　that　the　more　they　flied　to　escape　away；　the　more　cruell　and　terrible　were　the　dogges。　It　fortuned　amongst　all　this　fearefull　company；　that　in　running；　the　youngest　of　the　three　brethren　stombled　at　a　stone；　and　fell　down　to　the　ground　：　Then　the　dogs　came　upon　him　and　tare　him　in　peeces　with　their　teeth；　whereby　he　was　compelled　to　cry　for　succour　：　His　other　two　brethren　hearing　his　lamentable　voice　ran　towards　him　to　helpe　him；　casting　their　cloakes　about　their　left　armes；　tooke　up　stones　to　chase　away　the　dogs；　but　all　was　in　vaine；　for　they　might　see　their　brother　dismembred　in　every　part　of　his　body　：　　Who　lying　at　the　very　point　of　death；　desired　his　brethren　to　revenge　his　death　against　that　cruell　tyrant　：　And　therewithall　lie　gave　up　the　ghost。　The　other　two　brethren　perceiving　so　great　a　murther；　and　neglecting　their　owne　lives；　like　desperate　persons　dressed　themselves　against　the　tyrant；　and　threw　a　great　number　of　stones　at　him；　but　the　bloudy　theefe　exercised　in　such　and　like　mischiefes；　tooke　a　speare　and　thrust　it　cleane　through　the　body　：　howbeit　he　fell　not　downe　to　the　ground。　　For　the　speare　that　came　out　at　his　backe　ran　into　the　earth；　and　sustained　him　up。　　By　and　by　carne　one　of　these　tyrants　servants　the　most　sturdiest　of　the　rest　to　helpe　his　master；　who　at　the　first　comming　tooke　up　a　stone　and　threw　at　the　third　brother；　but　by　reason　the　stone　ran　along　his　arme　it　did　not　hurt　him；　which　chanced　otherwise　then　all　mens　expectation　was　：　by　and　by　the　young　man　feigning　that　his　arme　was　greatly　wounded；　spake　these　words　unto　the　cruell　bloud　sucker　：　Now　maist　thou；　thou　wretch；　triumph　upon　the　destruction　of　all　our　family；　now　hast　thou　fed　thy　insatiable　cruelty　with　the　bloud　of　three　brethren；　now　maist　thou　rejoyce　at　the　fall　of　us　Citizens；　yet　thinke　not　but　that　how　farre　thou　dost　remove　and　extend　the　bounds　of　thy　land；　thou　shalt　have　some　neighbor；　but　how　greatly　am　I　sorry　in　that　I　have　lost　mine　arme　wherewithall　I　minded　to　cut　off　thy　head。　　When　he　had　spoken　these　words；　the　furious　theefe　drew　out　his　dagger；　and　running　upon　the　young　man　thought　verily　to　have　slaine　him；　but　it　chanced　otherwise：　For　the　young　man　resisted　him　stoutly；　and　in　buckling　together　by　violence　wrested　the　dagger　out　of　his　hand　：　which　done；　he　killed　the　rich　theefe　with　his　owne　weapon；　and　to　the　intent　the　young　man　would　escape　the　hands　of　the　servants　which　came　running　to　assist　their　master；　with　the　same　dagger　he　cut　his　owne　throat。　These　things　were　signified　by　the　strange　and　dreadfull　wondres　which　fortuned　in　the　house　of　the　good　man；　who　after　he　had　heard　these　sorrowfull　tydings　could　in　no　wise　weepe；　so　farre　was　he　stroken　with　dolour；　but　presently　taking　his　knife　wherewith　he　cut　his　cheese　and　other　meate　before；　he　cut　his　owne　throat　likewise；　in　such　sort　that　he　fell　upon　the　bord　and　imbraced　the　table　with　the　streames　of　his　blond；　in　most　miserable　manner。　Hereby　was　my　master　the　Gardener　deprived　of　his　hope；　and　paying　for　his　dinner　the　watry　teares　of　his　eyes；　mounted　upon　my　backe　and　so　we　went　homeward　the　same　way　as　wee　came。



THE　FORTY…THIRD　CHAPTER


　How　Apuleius　was　found　by　his　shadow。

As　wee　passed　by　the　way　wee　met　with　a　tall　souldier　（for　so　his　habite　and　countenance　declared）　who　with　proud　and　arrogant　words　spake　to　my　master　in　this　sort：

Quorsum　vacuum　ducis　Asinum？

　My　master　somewhat　astonied　at　the　strange　sights　which　he　saw　before；　and　ignorant　of　the　Latine　tongue；　roade　on　and　spake　never　a　word　：　The　souldier　unable　to　refraine　his　insolence；　and　offended　at　his　silence；　strake　him　on　the　shoulders　as　he　sate　on　my　backe；　then　my　master　gently　made　answer　that　he　understood　not　what　he　said；　whereat　the　souldier　angerly　demanded　againe；　whither　he　roade　with　his　Asse？　　Marry　（quoth　he）　to　the　next　City　：　But　I　（quoth　the　souldier）　have　need　of　his　helpe；　to　carry　the　trusses　of　our　Captaine　from　yonder　Castle；　and　therewithall　he　tooke　me　by　the　halter　and　would　violently　have　taken　me　away　：　but　my　master　wiping　away　the　blood　of　the　blow　which　he　received　of　the　souldier；　desired　him　gently　and　civilly　to　take　some　pitty　upon　him；　and　to　let　him　depart　with　his　owne；　swearing　and　affirming　that　his　slow　Asse；　welnigh　dead　with　sicknesse；　could　scarce　carry　a　few　handfuls　of　hearbs　to　the　next　towne；　much　lesse　he　was　able　to　beare　any　greater　trusses　：　but　when　he　saw　the　souldier　would　in　no　wise　be　intreated；　but　ready　with　his　staffe　to　cleave　my　masters　head；　my　master　fell　down　at　his　feete；　under　colour　to　move　him　to　some　pitty；　but　when　he　saw　his　time；　he　tooke　th