“Is this,” said I, interrupting him, “what you promis’d, that you wou’d not versifie to day agen?  I beseech you, sir, at least spare us that never pelted you:  For if any of the inn shou’d find we have a poet in our company, the whole neighbourhood wou’d be rais’d, and we shou’d dye martyrs for a wrong opinion:  If nothing else will make you pity us, think of the galery and bath you came from”:  when I had treated him after this rate, the good natur’d Gito, correcting me, said, I did very ill to rail at a man so much my elder; and that having offer’d a gentleman the curtsie of my table, I shou’d not so far forget good breeding, to affront him when he came:  With many the like expressions, attended with a blush at their delivery, that extreamly became him.

“Happy the woman,” said Eumolpus, “that’s blest with such a son!  Heaven encrease your virtue:  so much sense, and so much beauty we seldom meet with in any one person:  But, lest you shou’d think your civility thrown away, you have found a lover for it:  I’ll give the world your praises in verse:  I’ll be your servant, your gardian, and will follow you every where:  Nor can Encolpius think himself injur’d, he loves another.”

Eumolpus was oblig’d to the souldier that robb’d me of my sword, else I had turn’d the fury upon him I meant for Ascyltos:  Gito reading it in my countenance, under pretence of fetching water, prudently withdrew:  And allay’d my heat, by removing one cause of it:  But my rage reviving, “Eumolpus,” said I, “I had rather have heard even your verses, that you propose to your self such hopes:  I am very passionate, and you are very lustful:  Consider how improbable ’tis we shou’d agree; believe therefore I am mad, and humour the phrenzy; that is, be gone immediately.”

At this Eumolpus was in great confusion, and, without asking the occasion of my passion, presently made out:  But drawing the door after him, what I did not in the least suspect, he lock’d me in, and stealing the key out of the door, ran in pursuit of Gito.

The rage I was in to be so abus’d, put me upon hanging my self; and having ty’d an apron, I found in the room, to the bed-stead, committed my neck to the noose I had made with its strings:  When Eumolpus and Gito came to the door, and entering, prevented my design:  Gito, his grief growing to a rage, made a great out-cry, and forcing me on the bed, “You’re mistaken,” said he, “Encolpius, if you fancy it possible for you to dye before me:  I was first in the design, and had not surviv’d my choice of Ascyltos; if I had met with an instrument of death:  But had not you come to my relief in the bath, I had resolv’d to throw my self out of the window:  And that you may know how ready death is to wait those that desire it:  see—­I’ve got what you so lately endeavour’d.”