CHAPTER XLIV.

_How Dr. Faustus the Day following was feasted by the Students, and of

his merry Jests with them while he was in their Company._

The last bacchanalia was held on Thursday, where ensued a great snow,

and Dr. Faustus was invited unto the students that were with him the day

before, where they prepared an excellent banquet for him, which banquet

being ended, Dr. Faustus began to play his old projects. And forthwith

was in the place thirteen apes, that took hands and danced round in

a ring together; then they fell to tumbling and vaulting one after

another, that it was most pleasant to behold; then they leaped out of

the window and vanished away. Then they set before Dr. Faustus a roasted

calf's head, which one of the students cut a piece off, and laid it on

Dr. Faustus his trencher, which piece was no sooner laid down but the

calf's head began to cry mainly out like a man, "Murder, murder! Out,

alas! what dost thou to me?" Whereat they were all amazed, but after a

while, considering of Faustus's jesting tricks, they began to laugh, and

they pulled asunder the calf's head and eat it up.

Whereupon Dr. Faustus asked leave to depart, but they would in nowise

agree to let him go, except that he would promise to come again

presently. Then Faustus, through his cunning, made a sledge, the which

was drawn about the house with four fiery dragons. This was fearful for

the students to behold, for they saw Faustus ride up and down, as though

he would have fired and slain all them that were in the house. This

sport continued until midnight, with such a noise that they could not

hear one another; the heads of the students were so light that they

thought themselves to be in the air all that time.

Mediaeval Tales · 第 44 / 62 章