麒麟小说

THE TALE（第36页）

forwhomconstancehadfullgreatheaviness。

nowletuspraythatgodhissoulebless:

anddameconstance，finallytosay

towardthetownofromewentherway。

toromeisethisholycreature，

andfindeththereherfriendeswholeandsound

nowisshescapedallheraventure:

andwhenthatsheherfatherhathy-found，

downonherkneesfallethshetoground，

weepingfortendernessinhearteblithe

sheherieth*godan混♂dredthousandsithe。***praises**times

invirtueandinholyalmes-deed

theylivenall，andneerasunderwend;

tilldeathdeparteththem，thislifetheylead:

andfarenowwell，mytaleisatanend

nowjesuschrist，thatofhismightmaysend

joyafterwoe，governusinhisgrace

andkeepusallethatbeinthisplace。

thistaleisbelievedbytyrwhitttohavebeentaken，withnomaterialchange，fromthe"confessioamantis"ofjohngower，whowascontemporarywithchaucer，thoughsomewhathissenior。intheprologue，thereferencestothestoriesofcanace，andofapolloniustyrius，seemtobeanattackongower，whohadgiventhesetalesinhisbook;whencetyrwhittconc露desthatthefriendshipbetweenthetwopoetssufferedsomeinterruptioninthelatterpartoftheirlives。gowerwasnottheinventorofthestory，whichhefoundinoldfrenchromances，anditisnotimprobablethatchaucermayhavegoothesamesourceasgower，thoughthelatterundoubtedlyledtheway。（transcribersnote:latermentatorshaveidentifiedtheintroductiondescribingthesorrowsofpoverty，alongwiththeotherralisinginter露desinthetale，astranslatedfrom"decontemptumundi"（"onthecontemptoftheworld"）bypopeinnocent。）

transcribernote:thisreferstothegameofhazard，adicegamelikecraps，inwhichtwo（"ambesace"）won，andeleven（"six-cinque"）lost。

purpose:discourse，tale:french"propos"。

"peace"rhymedwith"lese"and"chese"，theoldformsof"lose"and"choose"。

aordingtomiddleagewritersthereweretwotionsofthefirstheaven;oneeverythingalwaysfromeasttowestabovethestars;theothervingthestarsagainstthefirsttion，fromwesttoeast，ontwootherpoles。

atyzar:themeaningofthiswordisnotknown;but"oifer"，murderer，estedinsteadb玉rry，ontheauthorityofamarginalreadingonamanuscript。（transcribersnote:latermentatorsexplainitasderivedfromarabic"al-tathir"，inf露ence-usedhereinanastrologicalsense）

"thouknittesttheewherethouartnotreceivd，wherethouwertwell，fromthennesartthouweivd"i。e。"thoujoinestthyselfwherethouartrejected，andartdeclinedordepartedfromtheplacewherethouwertwell。"theonportendsthefortunesofconstance。

fand:endeavour;fromanglo-saxon，"fandian，"totry

feng:take;anglo-saxon"fengian"，german，"fangen"。

himandheronwhichthylimbesfaithfullyextend:thosewhoinfaithwearthecrucifix

thefourspiritsoftempest:thefourangelswhoheldthefourwindsoftheearthandtowhomitwasgiventohurttheearthandthesea（rev。vii。1，2）。

thenneswoulditnotinallatide:thencewoulditnotveforlong，atall。

amannerlatincorrupt:akindofbastardlatin。