the golden asse-第12章

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he　family。　　Whereunto　I　（being　joyous　of　by　unhoped　gaine；　and　ratling　my　money　in　my　hand）　　did　answer；　I　pray　you　madam　esteeme　me　as　one　of　your　servants；　and　if　you　want　my　service　at　any　time；　I　am　at　your　commandement。　　I　had　not　fully　declared　these　words；　when　as　behold　all　the　servants　of　the　house　were　assembled　with　weapons　to　drive　me　away；　one　buffeted　me　about　the　face；　another　about　the　shoulders；　some　strook　me　in　the　sides；　some　kicked　me；　and　some　tare　my　garments；　and　so　I　was　handled　amongst　them　and　driven　from　the　house；　as　the　proud　young　man　Adonis　who　was　torn　by　a　Bore。　　And　when　I　was　come　into　the　next　street；　I　mused　with　my　selfe；　and　remembred　myne　unwise　and　unadvised　words　which　I　had　spoken；　whereby　I　considered　that　I　had　deserved　much　more　punishment；　and　that　I　was　worthily　beaten　for　my　folly。　　And　by　and　by　the　corps　came　forth；　which　because　it　was　the　body　of　one　of　the　chiefe　of　the　city；　was　carried　in　funeral　pompe　round　about　the　market　place；　according　to　the　right　of　the　countrey　there。　　And　forthwith　stepped　out　an　old　man　weeping　and　lamenting；　and　ranne　unto　the　Biere　and　embraced　it；　and　with　deepe　sighes　and　sobs　cried　out　in　this　sort；　O　masters；　I　pray　you　　by　the　faith　which　you　professe；　and　by　the　duty　which　you　owe　unto　the　weale　publique；　take　pitty　and　mercy　upon　this　dead　corps；　who　is　miserably　murdered；　and　doe　vengeance　on　this　wicked　and　cursed　woman　his　wife　which　hath　committed　this　fact　：　for　it　is　shee　and　no　other　which　hath　poysoned　her　husband　my　sisters　sonne；　to　the　intent　to　maintaine　her　whoredome；　and　to　get　his　heritage。　　In　this　sort　the　old　man　complained　before　the　face　of　all　people。　　Then　they　（astonied　at　these　sayings；　and　because　the　thing　seemed　to　be　true）　cried　out；　Burne　her；　burne　her；　and　they　sought　for　stones　to　throw　at　her；　and　willed　the　boys　in　the　street　to　doe　the　same。　　But　shee　weeping　in　lamentable　wise；　did　swear　by　all　the　gods；　that　shee　was　not　culpable　of　this　crime。　　No　quoth　the　old　man；　here　is　one　sent　by　the　providence　of　God　to　try　out　the　matter；　even　Zachlas　an　Egypptian；　who　is　the　most　principall　Prophecier　in　all　this　countrey；　and　who　was　hired　of　me　for　money　to　reduce　the　soule　of　this　man　from　hell；　and　to　revive　his　body　for　the　triall　hereof。　　And　therewithall　he　brought　forth　a　certaine　young　man　cloathed　in　linnen　rayment；　having　on　his　feet　a　paire　of　pantofiles；　and　his　crowne　shaven；　who　kissed　his　hands　and　knees；　saying；　O　priest　have　mercy；　have　mercy　I　pray　thee　by　the　Celestiall　Planets；　by　the　Powers　infernall；　by　the　vertue　of　the　naturall　elements；　by　the　silences　of　the　night；　by　the　building　of　Swallows　nigh　unto　the　towne　Copton；　by　the　increase　of　the　floud　Nilus；　by　the　secret　mysteries　of　Memphis；　and　by　the　instruments　and　trumpets　of　the　Isle　Pharos；　have　mercy　I　say；　and　call　to　life　this　dead　body；　and　make　that　his　eyes　which　he　closed　and　shut；　may　be　open　and　see。　　Howbeit　we　meane　not　to　strive　against　the　law　of　death；　neither　intend　we　to　deprive　the　earth　of　his　right；　but　to　the　end　this　fact　may　be　knowne；　we　crave　but　a　small　time　and　space　of　life。　　Whereat　this　Prophet　was　mooved；　and　took　a　certaine　herb　and　layd　it　three　times　against　the　mouth　of　the　dead；　and　he　took　another　and　laid　upon　his　breast　in　like　sort。　　Thus　when　hee　had　done　hee　turned　himself　into　the　East；　and　made　certaine　orisons　unto　the　Sunne；　which　caused　all　the　people　to　marvell　greatly；　and　to　looke　for　this　strange　miracle　that　should　happen。　　Then　I　pressed　in　amongst　them　nigh　unto　the　biere；　and　got　upon　a　stone　to　see　this　mysterie；　and　behold　incontinently　the　dead　body　began　to　receive　spirit；　his　principall　veines　did　moove；　his　life　came　again　and　he　held　up　his　head　and　spake　in　this　sort　：　Why　doe　you　call　mee　backe　againe　to　this　transitorie　life；　that　have　already　tasted　of　the　water　of　Lethe；　and　likewise　been　in　the　deadly　den　of　Styx？　　Leave　off；　I　pray；　leave　off；　and　let　me　lie　in　quiet　rest。　　When　these　words　were　uttered　by　the　dead　corps；　the　Prophet　drew　nigh　unto　the　Biere　and　sayd；　I　charge　thee　to　tell　before　the　face　of　all　the　people　here　the　occasion　of　thy　death　：　What；　dost　thou　thinke　that　I　cannot　by　my　conjurations　call　up　the　dead；　and　by　my　puissance　torment　thy　body？　　Then　the　corps　moved　his　head　again；　and　made　reverence　to　the　people　and　sayd；　Verily　I　was　poisoned　by　the　meanes　of　my　wicked　wife；　and　so　thereby　yeelded　my　bed　unto　an　adulterer。　　Whereat　his　wife　taking　present　audacity；　and　reproving　his　sayings；　with　a　cursed　minde　did　deny　it。　　The　people　were　bent　against　her　sundry　wayes；　some　thought　best　that　shee　should　be　buried　alive　with　her　husband　：　but　some　said　that　there　ought　no　credit　to　be　given　to　the　dead　body。　Which　opinion　was　cleane　taken　away；　by　the　words　which　the　corps　spoke　againe　and　sayd；　Behold　I　will　give　you　some　evident　token；　which　never　yet　any　other　man　knew；　whereby　you　shall　perceive　that　I　declare　the　truth　：　and　by　and　by　he　pointed　towards　me　that　stood　on　the　stone；　and　sayd；　When　this　the　good　Gard　of　my　body　watched　me　diligently　in　the　night；　and　that　the　wicked　Witches　and　enchantresses　came　into　the　chamber　to　spoyle　mee　of　my　limbes；　and　to　bring　such　their　purpose　did　transforme　themselves　into　the　shape　of　beasts　：　and　when　as　they　could　in　no　wise　deceive　or　beguile　his　vigilant　eyes；　they　cast　him　into　so　dead　and　sound　a　sleepe；　that　by　their　witchcraft　he　seemed　without　spirit　or　life。　　After　this　they　did　call　me　by　my　name；　and　never　did　cease　til　as　the　cold　members　of　my　body　began　by　little　and　little　and　little　to　revive。　　Then　he　being　of　more　lively　soule；　howbeit　buried　in　sleep；　in　that　he　and　I　were　named　by　one　name；　and　because　he　knew　not　that　they　called　me；　rose　up　first；　and　as　one　without　sence　or　perseverance　passed　by　the　dore　fast　closed；　unto　a　certain　hole；　whereas　the　Witches　cut　off　first　his　nose；　and　then　his　ears；　and　so　that　was　done　to　him　which　was　appointed　to　be　done　to　me。　　And　that　such　their　subtility　might　not　be　perceived；　they　made　him　a　like　paire　of　eares　and　nose　of　wax　：　wherfore　you　may　see　that　the　poore　miser　for　lucre　of　a　little　mony　sustained　losse　of　his　members。　　Which　when　he　had　said　I　was　greatly　astonied；　and　minding　to　prove　whether　his　words　were　true　or　no；　put　my　hand　to　my　nose；　and　my　nose　fell　off；　and　put　my　hand　to　my　ears　and　my　ears　fell　off。　　Wherat　all　the　people　wondred　greatly；　and　laughed　me　to　scorne　：　but　I　beeing　strucken　in　a　cold　sweat；　crept　between　their　legs　for　shame　and　escaped　away。　　So　I　disfigured　returned　home　againe；　and　covered　the　losse　of　myne　ears　with　my　long　hair；　and　glewed　this　clout　to　my　face　to　hide　my　shame。　　As　soon　as　Bellephoron　had　told　his　tale；　they　which　sate　at　the　table　replenished　with　wine；　laughed　heartily。　And　while　they　drank　one　to　another；　Byrrhena　spake　to　me　and　said；　from　the　first　foundation　of　this　city　we　have　a　custome　to　celebrate　the　festivall　day　of　the　god　Risus；　and　to…morrow　is　the　feast　when　as　I　pray　you　to　bee　present；　to　set　out　the　same　more　honourably；　and　I　would　with　all　my　heart　that　you　could　find　or　devise　somewhat　of　your　selfe；　that　might　be　in　honour　of　so　great　a　go