麒麟小说

THE REEVES TALE（第3页）

itwerehightimethytaletobegin。"

"now，sirs，"quoththenthisosewoldthereeve，

iprayyouallthatnoneofyoudogrieve，

thoughianswer，andsomewhatsethishove*，*hood

forlawfulis*forceoffwithforcetoshove。**torepelforce

thisdrunkenmillerhathy-toldusherebyforce*

howthatbeguiledwasacarpentere，

paraventure*inscorn，foriane:*perhaps

and，byyourleave，ishallhimquiteanon。

rightinhischurlishtermeswillispeak，

ipraytogodhisneckemightto-break。

hecanwellinmineeyeseeastalk，

butinhisownhecannotseeabalk。"

"withblearingofaproudemillerseye":dimminghiseye;playingoffajokeonhi

"melistnotplayforage":agetakesawaymyzestfordrollery。

themedlar，thefruitofthemespi露stree，isonlyediblewhenrotten。

yetinourashescolddoesfirereek:"evninourasheslivetheirwontedfires。

acoltstooth;awantonhuur，arelishforpleasure。

chimb:therifabarrelwherethestavesprojectbeyondthehead。

witholdefolk，savedotage，isnore:dotageisallthatisleftthem;thatis，theycanonlydwellfondly，dote，onthepast。

souter:cobbler;scottice，"sutor;"fromlatin，"suere，"tosew。

"exsutoremedicus"（asurgeonfromacobbler）and"exsutorenauclerus"（aseamanorpilotfromacobbler）werebothproverbialexpressionsinthemiddleages。

halfpastprime:half-waybetweenprimeandtierce;abouthalf-pastsevenintherning。

sethishove;like"settheircaps;"asinthedescriptionofthemancipleintheprologue，who"settheirallercap"。"hove"or"houfe，"means"hood;"andthephrasesignifiestobeevenwith，outwit

theil露strationoftheteandthebeam，frommatthew。