the golden asse-第4部分

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　spake　Panthia　unto　Meroe　and　said；　Sister　let　us　by　and　by　teare　him　in　pieces　or　tye　him　by　the　members；　and　so　cut　them　off。　　Then　Meroe　（being　so　named　because　she　was　a　Taverner；　and　loved　wel　good　wines）　answered；　Nay　rather　let　him　live；　and　bury　the　corpse　of　this　poore　wretch　in　some　hole　of　the　earth；　and　therewithall　shee　turned　the　head　of　Socrates　on　the　other　side　and　thrust　her　sword　up　to　the　hilts　into　the　left　part　of　his　necke；　and　received　the　bloud　that　gushed　out；　into　a　pot；　　　that　no　drop　thereof　fell　beside　：　which　things　I　saw　with　mine　own　eyes；　and　as　I　thinke　to　the　intent　that　she　might　alter　nothing　that　pertained　to　sacrifice；　which　she　accustomed　to　make；　she　thrust　her　hand　down　into　the　intrals　of　his　body；　　and　searching　about；　at　length　brought　forth　the　heart　of　my　miserable　companion　Socrates；　who　having　his　throat　cut　in　such　sort；　yeelded　out　a　dolefull　cry；　and　gave　up　the　ghost。　　Then　Panthia　stopped　up　the　wide　wound　of　his　throat　with　the　Sponge　and　said；　O　sponge　sprung　and　made　of　the　sea；　beware　that　thou　not　passe　by　running　river。　　This　being　said；　one　of　them　moved　and　turned　up　my　bed；　and　then　they　strid　over　mee；　and　clapped　their　buttocks　upon　my　face；　and　all　bepissed　mee　until　I　was　wringing　wet。　　When　this　was　over　they　went　their　wayes；　and　the　doores　closed　fast；　the　posts　stood　in　their　old　places；　and　the　lockes　and　bolts　were　shut　againe。　　But　I　that　lay　upon　the　ground　like　one　without　soule；　naked　and　cold；　and　wringing　wet　with　pisse；　like　to　one　that　were　more　than　half　dead；　yet　reviving　my　selfe；　and　appointed　as　I　thought　for　the　Gallowes；　　began　to　say　Alasse　what　shall　become　of　me　to　morrow；　when　my　companion　shall　be　found　murthered　here　in　the　chamber？　　To　whom　shall　I　seeme　to　tell　any　similitude　of　truth；　when　as　I　shall　tell　the　trueth　in　deed？　　They　will　say；　If　thou　wert　unable　to　resist　the　violence　of　the　women；　yet　shouldest　thou　have　cried　for　help；　Wouldst　thou　suffer　the　man　to　be　slaine　before　thy　face　and　say　nothing？　Or　why　did　they　not　slay　thee　likewise？　　Why　did　they　spare　thee　that　stood　by　and　saw　them　commit　that　horrible　fact？　　Wherefore　although　thou　hast　escaped　their　hands；　yet　thou　shalt　not　escape　ours。　　While　I　pondered　these　things　with　my　selfe　the　night　passed　on；　and　so　I　resolved　to　take　my　horse　before　day；　and　goe　forward　on　my　journey。

Howbeit　the　wayes　were　unknown　to　me；　and　thereupon　I　tooke　up　my　packet；　unlocked　and　unbarred　the　doors；　but　those　good　and　faithfull　doores　which　in　the　night　did　open　of　their　owne　accord；　could　then　scantly　be　opened　with　their　keyes。　　And　when　I　was　out　I　cried；　O　sirrah　Hostler　where　art　thou？　　Open　the　stable　doore　for　I　will　ride　away　by　and　by。　　The　Hostler　lying　behinde　the　stable　doore　upon　a　pallet；　and　half　asleepe；　What　（quoth　hee）　doe　you　not　know　that　the　wayes　be　very　dangerous？　What　meane　you　to　rise　at　this　time　of　night？　　If　you　perhaps　guilty　of　some　heynous　crime；　be　weary　of　your　life；　yet　thinke　you　not　that　we　are　such　Sots　that　we　will　die　for　you。　　　Then　said　I；　It　is　well　nigh　day；　and　moreover；　what　can　theeves　take　from　him　that　hath　nothing？　　Doest　thou　not　know　（Foole　as　thou　art）　if　thou　be　naked；　if　ten　Gyants　should　assaile　thee；　they　could　not　spoyle　or　rob　thee？　　Whereunto　the　drowsie　Hostler　half　asleepe；　and　turning　on　the　other　side；　answered；　What　know　I　whether　you　have　murthered　your　Companion　whom　you　brought　in　yesternight；　or　no；　and　now　seeke　the　means　to　escape　away？　　O　Lord；　at　that　time　I　remember　the　earth　seemed　ready　to　open；　and　me　thought　I　saw　at　hell　gate　the　Dog　Cerberus　ready　to　devour　mee；　and　then　I　verily　beleeved；　that　Meroe　did　not　spare　my　throat；　mooved　with　pitty；　but　rather　cruelly　pardoned　mee　to　bring　mee　to　the　Gallowes。　　Wherefore　I　returned　to　my　chamber；　and　there　devised　with　my　selfe　in　what　sort　I　should　finish　my　life。　　But　when　I　saw　that　fortune　should　minister　unto　mee　no　other　instrument　than　that　which　my　bed　profered　me；　I　said；　O　bed；　O　bed；　most　dear　to　me　at　this　present；　which　hast　abode　and　suffered　with　me　so　many　miseries；　judge　and　arbiter　of　such　things　as　were　done　here　this　night；　whome　onely　I　may　call　to　witnesse　for　my　innocency；　render　（I　say）　unto　me　some　wholesome　weapon　to　end　my　life；　that　am　most　willing　to　dye。　And　therewithal　I　pulled　out　a　piece　of　the　rope　wherewith　the　bed　was　corded；　and　tyed　one　end　thereof　about　a　rafter　by　the　window；　and　with　the　other　end　I　made　a　sliding　knot；　and　stood　upon　my　bed；　and　so　put　my　neck　into　it；　and　leaped　from　the　bed；　thinking　to　strangle　my　selfe　and　so　dye；　behold　the　rope　beeing　old　and　rotten　burst　in　the　middle；　and　I　fell　down　tumbling　upon　Socrates　that　lay　under　：　And　even　at　that　same　very　time　the　Hostler　came　in　crying　with　a　loud　voyce；　and　sayd；　Where　are　you　that　made　such　hast　at　midnight；　and　now　lies　wallowing　abed？　　Whereupon　（I　know　not　whether　it　was　by　my　fall；　or　by　the　great　cry　of　the　Hostler）　Socrates　as　waking　out　of　sleepe；　did　rise　up　first　and　sayd；　It　is　not　without　cause　that　strangers　do　speake　evill　of　all　such　Hostlers；　for　this　Catife　in　his　comming　in；　and　with　his　crying　out；　I　thinke　under　a　colour　to　steale　away　something；　hath　waked　me　out　of　a　sound　sleepe。　　Then　I　rose　up　joyfull　with　a　merry　countenance；　saying；　Behold　good　Hostler；　my　friend；　my　companion　and　my　brother；　whom　thou　didst　falsly　affirme　to　be　slaine　by　mee　this　might。　　And　therewithall　I　embraced　my　friend　Socrates　and　kissed　him　：　but　hee　smelling　the　stinke　of　the　pisse　wherewith　those　Hagges　had　embrued　me；　thrust　me　away　and　sayd；　Clense　thy　selfe　from　this　filthy　odour；　and　then　he　began　gently　to　enquire；　how　that　noysome　sent　hapned　unto　mee。　　But　I　finely　feigning　and　colouring　the　matter　for　the　time；　did　breake　off　his　talk；　and　tooke　him　by　the　hand　and　sayd；　Why　tarry　we？　　Why　lose　wee　the　pleasure　of　this　faire　morning？　　Let　us　goe；　and　so　I　tooke　up　my　packet；　and　payed　the　charges　of　the　house　and　departed　：　and　we　had　not　gone　a　mile　out　of　the　Towne　but　it　was　broad　day；　and　then　I　diligently　looked　upon　Socrates　throat；　to　see　if　I　could　espy　the　place　where　Meroe　thrust　in　her　sword　：　but　when　I　could　not　perceive　any　such　thing；　I　thought　with　my　selfe；　What　a　mad　man　am　I；　that　being　overcome　with　wine　yester　night；　have　dreamed　such　terrible　things？　　Behold　I　see　Socrates　is　sound；　safe　and　in　health。　　Where　is　his　wound？　　Where　is　the　Sponge？　Where　is　his　great　and　new　cut？　　And　then　I　spake　to　him　and　said；　Verily　it　is　not　without　occasion；　that　Physitians　of　experience　do　affirme；　That　such　as　fill　their　gorges　abundantly　with　meat　and　drinke；　shall　dreame　of　dire　and　horrible　sights　：　for　I　my　selfe；　not　tempering　my　appetite　yester　night　from　the　pots　of　wine；　　did　seeme　to　see　this　night　strange　and　cruel　visions；　that　even　yet　I　think　my　self　sprinkled　and　wet　with　human　blood　：　whereunto　Socrates　laughing　made　answer　and　said；　Nay；　thou　art　not　wet　with　the　blood　of　men；　but　art　embrued　with　stinking　pisse；　and　verily　I　dreamed　that　my　throat　was　cut；　and　that　I　felt　the　paine　of　the　wound；　and　that　my　heart　was　pulled　out　of　my　belly；　and　the　remembrance　thereof　makes　me　now　to　feare；　for　my　knees　do　so　tremble　that　I　can　scarce　goe　any　further；　and　therefore　I　would　faine　eat　somewhat　to　strengthen　and　revive　my　spirits。　　Then　said　I；　behold　here　thy　breakefast；　and　therewithall　I　opened　my　script　that　hanged　upon　my　shoulder；　and　gave　him　bread　and　cheese；　and　we　sate　downe　under　a　greate　Plane　tree；　and　I　eat　part　with　him；　and　while　I　beheld　him　eating　greedily；　I　perceived　that　he　waxed　meigre　and　pale；　and　that　his　lively　colour　faded　away；　insomuch　that　beeing　in　great　fear；　and　remembring　those　terrible　furies　of　whom　I　lately　dreamed；　the　first　morsell　of　bread　that　I　put　in　my　mouth　（that　was　　but　very　small）　did　so　stick　in　my　jawes；　that　I　could　neither　swallow　it　downe；　nor　yet　yeeld　it　up；　and　moreover　the　small　time　of　our　being　together　increased　my　feare；　and　what　is　hee　that　seeing　his　companion　die　in　the　high…way　before　his　face；　would　not　greatly　lament　and　bee　sorry？　　But　when　that　Socrates　had　eaten　sufficiently　hee　waxed　very　thirsty；　for　indeed　he　had　well　nigh　devoured　a　whole　Cheese　：　and　behold　evill　fortune！　　There　was　behind　the　Plane　tree　a　pleasant　running　water　as　cleere　as　Crystal；　and　I　sayd　unto　him；　Come　hither　Socrates　to　this　water　and　drinke　thy　fill。　　And　then　he　rose　and　came　to　the　River；　and　kneeled　downe　on　the　side　of　the　banke　to　drinke；　but　he　had　scarce　touched　the　water　with　lips；　when　as　behold　the　wound　in　his　throat　opened　wide；　and　the　Sponge　suddenly　fell　out　into　the　water；　and　after　issued　out　a　little　remnant　of　bloud；　and　his　body　being　then　without　life；　had　fallen　into　the　river；　had　not　I　caught　him　by　the　leg　and　so　pulled　him　up。　　And　after　that　I　had　lamented　a　good　space　the　death　of　my　wretched　companion；　I　buried　him　in　the　Sands　there　by　the　river。

Which　done；　in　great　feare　I　rode　through　many　Outwayes　and　desart　places；　and　as　culpable　of　the　death　of　Socrates；　I　forsooke　my　countrey；　my　wife；　and　my　children；　and　came　to　Etolia　where　I　married　another　Wife。

This　tale　told　Aristomenus；　and　his　fellow　which　before　obstinatly　would　giv