about midnight
Incontinently came Thrasillus , the detestable demander of sodaine pleasure , and wearied the closed eares of Charites with talke of marriage , but she gently refused his communication , and coloring the matter , with passing craft in the middest of his earnest desires gan say , Thrasillus you shall understand that yet the face of your brother and my husband , is alwayes before mine eies , I smell yet the Cinamon sent of his pretious body , I yet feele Lepolemus alive in my heart : wherefore you shall do well if you grant to me miserable woman , necessarie time to bewaile his death , that after the residue of a few months , the whole yeare may be expired , which thing toucheth as well my shame as your wholsome profit , lest peradventure by your speed and quicke marriage we should justly raise and provoke the spirit of my husband to worke our destruction . Howbeit , Thrasillus was not contented with this promise , but more and more came upon her : Insomuch , that she was enforced to speake to him in this manner : My friend Thrasillus , if thou be so contented untill the whole yeare be compleate and finished , behold here is my bodie , take thy pleasure , but in such sort and so secret that no servant of the house may perceive it . Then Thrasillus trusting to the false promises of the woman , and preferring his inordinate pleasure above all things in the world , was joyfull in his heart and looked for night , when as he might have his purpose . But come thou about midnight -LRB- quoth Charites -RRB- disguised without companie , and doe but hisse at my chamber doore , and my nourse shall attend and let thee in . This counsell pleased Thrasillus marveilously , who -LRB- suspecting no harme -RRB- did alwaies looke for night , and the houre assigned by Charites . The time was scarce come , when as -LRB- according to her commandement -RRB- he disguised himselfe , and went straight to the chamber , where he found the nourse attending for him , who -LRB- by the appointment of her Mistresse -RRB- fed him with flattering talke , and gave him mingled and doled drinke in a cup , excusing the absence of her Mistresse Charites , by reason that she attended on her Father being sick , untill such time , that with sweet talke and operation of the wine , he fell in a sound sleepe : Now when he lay prostrate on the ground readie to all adventure , Charites -LRB- being called for -RRB- came in , and with manly courage and bold force stood over the sleeping murderer , saying : Behold the faithfull companion of my husband , behold this valiant hunter ; behold me deere spouse , this is the hand which shed my bloud , this is the heart which hath devised so many subtill meanes to worke my destruction , these be the eies whom I have ill pleased , behold now they foreshew their owne destinie : sleepe carelesse , dreame that thou art in the hands of the mercifull , for I will not hurt thee with thy sword or any other weapon : God forbid that I should slay thee as thou slewest my husband , but thy eies shall faile thee , and thou shalt see no more , then that whereof thou dreamest : Thou shalt thinke the death of thine enemie more sweet then thy life : Thou shalt see no light , thou shalt lacke the aide of a leader , thou shalt not have me as thou hopest , thou shalt have no delight of my marriage , thou shalt not die , and yet living thou shalt have no joy , but wander betweene light and darknesse as an unsure Image : thou shalt seeke for the hand that pricked out thine eies , yet shalt thou not know of whom thou shouldest complaine : I will make sacrifice with the bloud of thine eies upon the grave of my husband . But what gainest thou through my delay ?