the golden asse-第19部分

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　came　upon　her；　she　greatly　feared　her　virginity；　because　shee　was　alone。　　Then　came　her　unknowne　husband　and　lay　with　her　：　and　after　that　hee　had　made　a　perfect　consummation　of　the　marriage；　he　rose　in　the　morning　before　day；　and　departed。　　Soone　after　came　her　invisible　servants；　and　presented　to　her　such　things　as　were　necessary　for　her　defloration。　　And　thus　she　passed　forth　a　great　while；　and　as　it　happeneth；　the　novelty　of　the　things　by　continuall　custome　did　encrease　her　pleasure；　but　especially　the　sound　of　the　instruments　was　a　comfort　to　her　being　alone。

During　this　time　that　Psyches　was　in　this　place　of　pleasures；　her　father　and　mother　did　nothing　but　weepe　and　lament；　and　her　two　sisters　hearing　of　her　most　miserable　fortune；　came　with　great　dolour　and　sorrow　to　comfort　and　speake　with　her　parents。

The　night　following　；　Psyches　husband　spake　unto　her　（for　she　might　feele　his　eyes；　his　hands；　and　his　ears）　and　sayd；　O　my　sweet　Spowse　and　dear　wife；　fortune　doth　menace　unto　thee　imminent　danger；　wherof　I　wish　thee　greatly　to　beware　：　for　know　that　thy　sisters；　thinking　that　thou　art　dead；　bee　greatly　troubled；　and　are　coming　to　the　mountain　by　thy　steps。　　Whose　lamentations　if　thou　fortune　to　heare；　beware　that　thou　doe　in　no　wise　make　answer；　or　looke　up　towards　them；　for　if　thou　doe　thou　shalt　purchase　to　mee　great　sorrow；　and　to　thyself　utter　destruction。　　Psyches　hearing　her　Husband；　was　contented　to　doe　all　things　as　hee　had　commanded。

After　that　hee　was　departed　and　the　night　passed　away；　Psyches　lamented　and　lamented　all　the　day　following；　thinking　that　now　shee　was　past　all　hopes　of　comfort；　in　that　shee　was　closed　within　the　walls　of　a　prison；　deprived　of　humane　conversation；　and　commaunded　not　to　aid　her　sorrowful　Sisters；　no　nor　once　to　see　them。　　Thus　she　passed　all　the　day　in　weeping；　and　went　to　bed　at　night；　without　any　refection　of　meat　or　baine。

Incontinently　after　came　her　husband；　who　when　he　had　embraced　her　sweetly；　began　to　say；　Is　it　thus　that　I　find　you　perform　your　promise；　my　sweet　wife？　　What　do　I　finde　heere？　　Passe　you　all　the　day　and　the　night　in　weeping？　And　wil　you　not　cease　in　your　husbands　armes？　　Goe　too；　doe　what　ye　will；　purchase　your　owne　destruction；　and　when　you　find　it　so；　then　remember　my　words；　and　repent　but　too　late。　　Then　she　desired　her　husband　more　and　more；　assuring　him　that　shee　should　die；　unlesse　he　would　grant　that　she　might　see　her　sisters；　wherby　she　might　speak　with　them　and　comfort　them；　wherat　at　length　he　was　contented；　and　moreover　hee　willed　that　shee　should　give　them　as　much　gold　and　jewels　as　she　would。　　But　he　gave　her　a　further　charge　saying；　Beware　that　ye　covet　not　（being　mooved　by　the　pernicious　counsell　of　you　sisters）　to　see　the　shape　of　my　person；　lest　by　your　curiosity　you　deprive　your　selfe　of　so　great　and　worthy　estate。　　Psyches　being　glad　herewith；　rendered　unto　him　most　entire　thankes；　and　said；　Sweet　husband；　I　had　rather　die　than　to　bee　separated　from　you；　for　whosoever　you　bee；　I　love　and　retaine　you　within　my　heart；　as　if　you　were　myne　owne　spirit　or　Cupid　himselfe　：　but　I　pray　you　grant　this　likewise；　that　you　would　commaund　　your　servant　Zephyrus　to　bring　my　sisters　downe　into　the　valley　as　he　brought　mee。

Wherewithall　shee　kissed　him　sweetly；　and　desired　him　gently　to　grant　her　request；　calling　him　her　spowse；　her　sweetheart；　her　Joy　and　her　Solace。　　Wherby　she　enforced　him　to　agree　to　her　mind；　and　when　morning　came　he　departed　away。

After　long　search　made；　the　sisters　of　Psyches　came　unto　the　hill　where　she　was　set　on　the　rocke；　and　cried　with　a　loud　voyce　in　such　sort　that　the　stones　answered　againe。　　And　when　they　called　their　sister　by　her　name；　that　their　lamentable　cries　came　unto　her　eares；　shee　came　forth　and　said；　Behold；　heere　is　shee　for　whom　you　weepe；　I　pray　you　torment　your　selves　no　more；　cease　your　weeping。　And　by　and　by　she　commaunded　Zephyrus　by　the　appointment　of　her　husband　to　bring　them　downe。　　Neither　did　he　delay；　for　with　gentle　blasts　he　retained　them　up　and　laid　them　softly　in　the　valley。　　I　am　not　able　to　expresse　the　often　embracing；　kissing　and　greeting　which　was　between　them　three；　all　sorrows　and　　tears　were　then　layd　apart。

Come　in　（quoth　Psyches）　into　our　house；　and　refresh　your　afflicted　mindes　with　your　sister。

After　this　she　shewed　them　the　storehouses　of　treasure；　shee　caused　them　to　hear　the　voyces　which　served　her；　the　bain　was　ready；　the　meats　were　brought　in；　and　when　they　had　filled　themselves　with　divine　delecates；　they　conceived　great　envy　within　their　hearts；　and　one　of　them　being　curious；　did　demand　what　her　husband　was；　of　what　estate；　and　who　was　Lord　of　so　pretious　a　house？　　But　Psyches　remembring　the　promise　which　she　had　made　to　her　husband；　feigned　that　hee　was　a　young　man；　of　comely　stature；　with　a　flaxen　beard；　and　had　great　delight　in　hunting　the　dales　and　hills　by。　　And　lest　by　her　long　talke　she　should　be　found　to　trip　or　faile　in　her　words；　she　filled　their　laps　with　gold；　silver；　and　Jewels；　and　commanded　Zephyrus　to　carry　them　away。

When　they　were　brought　up　to　the　mountain；　they　made　their　wayes　homeward　to　their　owne　houses；　and　murmured　with　envy　that　they　bare　against　Psyches；　saying；　behold　cruell　and　contrary　fortune；　behold　how　we；　borne　all　of　one　Parent；　have　divers　destinies　：　but　especially　we　that　are　the　elder　two　bee　married　to　strange　husbands；　made　as　handmaidens；　and　as　it　were　banished　from　our　Countrey　and　friends。　　Whereas　our　younger　sister　hath　great　abundance　of　treasure；　and　hath　gotten　a　god　to　her　husband；　although　shee　hath　no　skill　how　to　use　such　great　plenty　of　riches。　Saw　you　not　sister　what　was　in　the　house；　what　great　store　of　jewels；　what　glittering　robes；　what　Gemmes；　what　gold　we　trod　on？　That　if　shee　hath　a　husband　according　as　shee　affirmeth；　there　is　none　that　liveth　this　day　more　happy　in　all　the　world　than　she。　　And　so　it　may　come　to　passe；　at　length　for　the　great　affection　which　hee　may　　beare　unto　her　that　hee　may　make　her　a　goddesse；　for　by　Hercules；　such　was　her　countenance；　so　she　behaved　her　self；　that　as　a　goddesse　she　had　voices　to　serve　her；　and　the　windes　did　obey　her。

But　I　poore　wretch　have　first　married　an　husband　elder　than　my　father；　more　bald　than　a　Coot；　more　weake　than　a　childe；　and　that　locketh　me　up　all　day　in　the　house。

Then　said　the　other　sister；　And　in　faith　I　am　married　to　a　husband　that　hath　the　gout；　twyfold；　crooked；　nor　couragious　in　paying　my　debt；　I　am　faine　to　rub　and　mollifie　his　stony　fingers　with　divers　sorts　of　oyles；　and　to　wrap　them　in　playsters　and　salves；　so　that　I　soyle　my　white　and　dainty　hands　with　the　corruption　of　filthy　clouts；　not　using　my　self　like　a　wife；　but　more　like　a　servant。　　And　you　my　sister　seem　likewise　to　be　in　bondage　and　servitude；　wherefore　I　cannot　abide　to　see　our　younger　sister　in　such　felicity；　saw　you　not　I　pray　you　how　proudly　and　arrogantly　she　handled　us　even　now？　And　how　in　vaunting　her　selfe　she　uttered　her　presumptuous　minde；　how　she　cast　a　little　gold　into　our　laps；　and　being　weary　of　our　company；　commanded　that　we　should　be　borne　and　blown　away？

Verily　I　live　not；　nor　am　a　woman；　but　I　will　deprive　her　of　all　her　blisse。　　And　if　you　my　sister　bee　so　far　bent　as　I；　let　us　consult　together；　and　not　to　utter　our　minde　to　any　person；　no　not　to　our　parents；　nor　tell　that　ever　we　saw　her。　　For　it　sufficeth　that　we　have　seene　her；　whom　it　repenteth　to　have　seene。　　Neither　let　us　declare　her　good　fortune　to　our　father；　nor　to　any　other；　since　as　they　seeme　not　happy　whose　riches　are　unknowne　：　so　shall　she　know　that　she　hath　sisters　no　Abjects；　but　worthier　than　she。

But　now　let　us　goe　home　to　our　husbands　and　poore　houses；　and　when　we　are　better　instructed；　let　us　return　to　suppresse　her　pride。　So　this　evill　counsell　pleased　these　two　evil　women；　and　they　hid　the　treasure　which　Psyches　gave　them；　and　tare　their　haire；　renewing　their　false　and　forged　teares。　　When　their　father　and　mother　beheld　them　weep　and　lament　still；　they　doubled　their　sorrowes　and　griefes；　but　full　of　yre　and　forced　with　Envy；　they　tooke　their　voyage　homeward；　devising　the　slaughter　and　destruction　of　their　sister。

In　the　meane　season　the　husband　of　Psyches　did　warne　her　againe　in　the　night　with　these　words　：　Seest　thou　not　（quoth　he）　what　perill　and　danger　evill　fortune　doth　threaten　unto　thee；　whereof　if　thou　take　not　good　heed　it　will　shortly　come　upon　thee。　　For　the　unfaithfull　harlots　doe　greatly　endeavor　to　set　their　snares　to　catch　thee；　and　their　purpose　is　to　make　and　perswade　thee　to　behold　my　face；　which　if　thou　once　fortune　to　see；　as　I　have　often　told；　thou　shalt　see　no　more。　　Wherfore　if　these　naughty　hagges；　armed　with　wicked　minds；　doe　chance　to　againe　（as　I　think　no　otherwise　but　that　they　will）　take　heed　that　thou　talk　not　with　them　but　simply　suffer　them　to　speake　what　they　will；　howbeit　if　thou　canst　not　refraine　thy　selfe；　beware　that　thou　have　no　communication　of　thy　husband；　nor　answer　a　word　if　they　fortune　to　question　　of　me；　so　will　we　encrease　our　stocke；　and　this　young　and　tender　childe；　couched　in　this　young　and　tender　belly　of　thine；　shall　be　made　an　immortall　god；　otherwise　a　mortal　creature。　　Then　Psyches　was　very　glad　that　she　should　b