the golden asse-第42节

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ch　that　my　master　was　renowned　throughout　all　the　Country　by　reason　of　mee。　　For　every　man　would　say：　Behold　the　Gentleman　that　hath　an　Asse；　that　will　eate　and　drinke　with　him；　that　will　dance；　and　understand　what　is　said　to　him；　will　shew　his　fantasie　by　signes。　　But　first　I　will　tell　you　（which　I　should　have　done　before）　who　my　master　was；　and　of　what　country。　　His　name　was　Thiasus；　hee　was　borne　at　Corinth；　which　is　a　principall　towne　of　Achaia；　and　he　had　passed　many　offices　of　honor；　till　hee　had　taken　upon　him　the　degree　Quinquenuall；　according　as　his　birth　and　dignity　required；　who　to　shew　his　worthinesse；　and　to　purchase　the　benevolence　of　every　person；　appointed　publike　joyes　and　triumphs；　to　endure　the　space　of　three　dayes；　and　to　bring　his　endeavour　to　passe；　he　came　into　Thessaly　to　buy　excellent　Beasts；　and　valiant　fighters　for　the　purpose。



THE　FORTY…SIXTH　CHAPTER


How　a　certaine　Matron　fell　in　love　with　Apuleius；　how　hee　had　his　pleasure　with　her；　and　what　other　things　happened。

When　he　had　bought　such　things　as　was　necessary；　he　would　not　returne　home　into　his　Countrey　in　Chariots；　or　waggon；　neither　would　he　ride　upon　Thessalian　Horses；　or　Jenets　of　France；　or　Spanish　Mules；　which　be　most　excellent　as　can　be　found；　but　caused　me　to　be　garnished　and　trimmed　with　trappers　and　barbs　of　Gold；　with　brave　harnesse；　with　purple　coverings；　with　a　bridle　of　silver；　with　pictured　cloths；　and　with　shrilling　bells；　and　in　this　manner　he　rode　upon　me　lovingly；　speaking　and　intreating　me　with　gentle　words；　but　above　all　things　he　did　greatly　rejoyce　in　that　I　was　his　Servant　to　beare　him　upon　my　backe；　and　his　Companion　to　feed　with　him　at　the　Table　：　After　long　time　when　we　had　travelled　as　well　by　Sea　as　Land；　and　fortuned　to　arrive　at　Corinth；　the　people　of　the　Towne　came　about　us　on　every　side；　not　so　much　to　doe　honour　to　Thiasus；　as　to　see　me　：　For　my　fame　was　so　greatly　spread　there；　that　I　gained　my　master　much　money；　and　when　the　people　was　desirous　to　see　me　play　prankes；　they　caused　the　Gates　to　be　shut；　and　such　as　entered　in　should　pay　money；　by　meanes　whereof　I　was　a　profitable　companion　to　them　every　day　：　There　fortuned　to　be　amongst　the　Assembly　a　noble　and　rich　Matron　that　conceived　much　delight　to　behold　me；　and　could　find　no　remedy　to　her　passions　and　disordinate　appetite；　but　continually　desired　to　have　her　pleasure　with　me；　as　Pasiphae　had　with　a　Bull。　　In　the　end　she　promised　a　great　reward　to　my　keeper　for　the　custody　of　me　one　night；　who　for　gaine　of　a　little　money　accorded　to　her　desire；　and　when　I　had　supped　in　a　Parler　with　my　Master；　we　departed　away　and　went　into　our　Chamber；　where　we　found　the　faire　Matron；　who　had　tarried　a　great　space　for　our　comming　：　I　am　not　able　to　recite　unto　you　how　all　things　were　prepared　：　there　were　foure　Eunuches　that　lay　on　a　bed　of　downe　on　the　ground　with　Boulsters　accordingly　for　us　to　lye　on；　the　Coverlet　was　of　cloth　of　Gold；　and　the　pillowes　soft　and　tender；　whereon　the　delicate　Matron　had　accustomed　to　lay　her　head。　　Then　the　Eunuches　not　minding　to　delay　any　longer　the　pleasure　of　their　Mistresse　closed　the　doores　of　the　Chamber　and　departed　away：　within　the　Chamber　were　Lamps　that　gave　a　cleare　light　all　the　place　over　：　Then　she　put　off　all　her　Garments　to　her　naked　skinne；　and　taking　the　Lampe　that　stood　next　to　her；　began　to　annoint　all　her　body　with　balme；　and　mine　likewise；　but　especially　my　nose；　which　done；　she　kissed　me；　not　as　they　accustome　to　doe　at　the　stews；　or　in　brothel　houses；　or　in　the　Curtain　Schools　for　gaine　of　money；　but　purely；　sincerely；　and　with　great　affection；　casting　out　these　and　like　loving　words　：　Thou　art　he　whom　I　love；　thou　art　he　whom　I　onely　desire；　without　thee　I　cannot　live；　and　other　like　preamble　of　talke　as　women　can　use　well　enough；　when　as　they　mind　to　shew　or　declare　their　burning　passions　and　great　affection　of　love：　Then　she　tooke　me　by　the　halter　and　cast　me　downe　upon　the　bed；　which　was　nothing　strange　unto　me；　considering　that　she　was　so　beautifull　a　Matron　and　I　so　wel　bolded　out　with　wine；　and　perfumed　with　balme；　whereby　I　was　readily　prepared　for　the　purpose：　But　nothing　grieved　me　so　much　as　to　think；　how　I　should　with　my　huge　and　great　legs　imbrace　so　faire　a　Matron；　or　how　I　should　touch　her　fine；　dainty；　and　silken　skinne；　with　my　hard　hoofes；　or　how　it　was　possible　to　kisse　her　soft；　pretty　and　ruddy　lips；　with　my　monstrous　mouth　and　stony　teeth；　or　how　she；　who　was　young　and　tender；　could　be　able　to　receive　me。

And　I　verily　thought；　if　I　should　hurt　the　woman　by　any　kind　of　meane；　I　should　be　throwne　to　the　wild　Beasts　：　But　in　the　meane　season　she　kissed　me；　and　looked　in　my　mouth　with　burning　eyes；　saying　：　I　hold　thee　my　canny；　I　hold　thee　my　noose；　my　sparrow；　and　therewithall　she　eftsoones　imbraced　my　body　round　about；　and　had　her　pleasure　with　me；　whereby　I　thought　the　mother　of　Miniatures　did　not　ceaseless　quench　her　inordinate　desire　with　a　Bull。　　When　night　was　passed；　with　much　joy　and　small　sleepe；　the　Matron　went　before　day　to　my　keeper　to　bargain　with　him　another　night；　which　he　willingly　granted；　partly　for　gaine　of　money；　and　partly　to　finde　new　pastime　for　my　master。　　Who　after　he　was　informed　of　all　the　history　of　my　luxury；　was　right　glad；　and　rewarded　my　keeper　well　for　his　paine；　minding　to　shew　before　the　face　of　all　the　people；　what　I　could　doe　：　but　because　they　would　not　suffer　the　Matron　to　abide　such　shame；　by　reason　of　her　dignity；　and　because　they　could　finde　no　other　that　would　endeavour　so　great　a　reproach；　at　length　they　obtained　for　money　a　poore　woman；　which　was　condemned　to　be　eaten　of　wilde　beasts；　with　whom　I　should　openly　have　to　doe　：　But　first　I　will　tell　you　what　tale　I　heard　concerning　this　woman。　　This　woman　had　a　husband；　whose　father　minding　to　ride　forth；　commanded　his　wife　which　he　left　at　home　great　with　child；　that　if　she　were　delivered　of　a　daughter；　it　should　incontinently　be　killed。　　When　the　time　of　her　delivery　came；　it　fortuned　that　she　had　a　daughter；　whom　she　would　not　suffer　to　be　slaine；　by　reason　of　the　naturall　affection　which　she　hare　unto　her　child；　but　secretly　committed　her　to　one　of　her　neighbours　to　nurse。　　And　when　her　husband　returned　home；　shee　declared　unto　him　that　shee　was　delivered　of　a　daughter；　whom　（as　hee　commanded）；　shee　had　caused　to　be　put　to　death。　　But　when　this　child　came　to　age；　and　ready　to　be　married；　the　mother　knew　not　by　what　meanes　shee　should　endow　her　daughter；　but　that　her　husband　should　understand　and　perceive　it。　　Wherefore　shee　discovered　the　matter　to　her　sonne；　who　was　the　husband　of　this　woman；　condemned　to　be　eaten　of　wild　beasts　：　For　shee　greatly　feared　least　hee　should　unawares　fancie　or　fall　in　love　with　his　owne　sister。　　The　young　man　understanding　the　whole　matter　（to　please　and　gratify　his　mother）　went　immediately　to　the　young　maiden；　keeping　the　matter　secret　in　his　heart；　for　feare　of　inconvenience；　and　（lamenting　to　see　his　sister　forsaken　both　of　mother　and　father）　incontinently　after　endowed　her　with　part　of　his　owne　goods；　and　would　have　married　her　to　one　of　his　especial　and　trusty　friends　：　But　although　hee　brought　this　to　passe　very　secretly　and　sagely；　yet　in　the　end　cruell　fortune　sowed　great　sedition　in　his　house。　　For　his　wife　who　was　now　condemned　to　beasts；　waxed　jealous　of　her　husband　and　began　to　suspect　the　young　woman　as　a　harlot　and　common　queane；　insomuch　that　shee　invented　all　manner　of　meanes　to　dispatch　her　out　of　the　way。　　And　in　the　end　shee　invented　this　kind　of　mischiefe　：　She　privily　stale　away　her　husbands　ring；　and　went　into　the　country；　whereas　she　commanded　one　of　her　trusty　servants　to　take　the　ring　and　carry　it　to　the　mayden。　　To　whom　he　should　declare　that　her　brother　did　pray　her　to　come　into　the　country　to　him；　and　that　she　should　come　alone　without　any　person。　　And　to　the　end　shee　should　not　delay　but　come　with　all　speed　he　should　deliver　her　the　ring；　which　should　be　a　sufficient　testimony　of　the　message。　　This　mayden　as　soone　as　she　had　received　the　ring　of　her　brother；　being　very　willing　and　desirous　to　obey　his　commandement　：　（For　she　knew　no　otherwise　but　that　he　had　sent　for　her）　went　in　all　hast　as　the　messenger　willed　her　to　doe。　But　when　she　was　come　to　the　snare　and　engine　which　was　prepared　for　her；　the　mischievous　woman；　like　one　that　were　mad；　and　possessed　with　some　ill　spirit；　when　the　poore　maiden　called　for　helpe　with　a　loud　voyce　to　her　brother；　the　wicked　harlot　（weening　that　she　had　invented　and　feined　the　matter）　tooke　a　burning　firebrand　and　thrust　it　into　her　secret　place；　whereby　she　died　miserably。　　The　husband　of　this　maiden　but　especially　her　brother；　advertised　of　her　death；　came　to　the　place　where　she　was　slain；　and　after　great　lamentation　and　weeping；　they　caused　her　to　be　buried　honourably。　　This　yong　man　her　brother　taking　in　ill　part　the　miserable　death　of　his　sister；　as　it　was　convenient　he　should；　conceived　so　great　dolour　within　his　mind　and　was　strucken　with　so　pestilent　fury　of　bitter　anguish；　that　he　fell　into　the　burning　passions　of　a　dangerous　ague；　whereby　he　seemed　in　such　necessity；　that　he　needed　to　have　some　speedy　remedy　to　save　his　life。　　The　woman　that　slew　the　Maiden　having　lost　the　name　of　wife　toge