麒麟小说

THE NUNS PRIESTS TALE（第2页）

byheavensking，thatforusalledied，

ishoulderethishavefallendownforsleep，

althoughthesloughhadbeenneversodeep;

thenhadyourtalebeenalltoldinvain。

forcertainly，astheseclerkessayn，

whereasamanmayhavenoaudience，

noughthelpethittotellehissentence。

andwelliwotthesubstanceisinme，

ifanythingshallwellreportedbe。

sir，saysomewhatof混♂，

iyoupray。"

"nay，"quoththenk，"ihave*no露sttoplay;**nofondnessfor

nowletanothertell，asihavetold。"jes*

thenspakeourhostwithrudespeechandbold，

andsaiduntothenunnespriestanon，

"enear，thoupriest，ehither，thousirjohn，

tel露ssuchthingasmayourheartesglade。**gladden

beblithe，althoughthourideuponajade。

whatthoughthinehorsebebothefoulandlean?

ifhewillservethee，reckthounotabean;

lookthatthineheartbemerryever。"

"yes，host，"quothhe，"somayirideorgo，

but*ibemerry，y-wisiwillbeblamed。"*unless

andrightanonhistalehehathattamed**menced

andthushesaiduntouseveryone，

thissweetepriest，thisgoodlyman，sirjohn。

therequestisjustifiedbythedescriptionofnkintheprologueas"anout-rider，thatlovedvenery。"

onthistyrwhittremarks;"iknownothowithashappened，thatintheprincipaldernlanguages，john，oritsequivalent，isanameofcontemptoratleastofslight。sotheitaliansusegianni，fromwhencezani;thespaniardsjuan，asbobojuan，afoolishjohn;thefrenchjean，withvariousadditions;andinenglish，whenwecallamanajohn，wedonotmeanitasatitleofhonour。"thetitleof"sir"wasusuallygivenbycourtesytopriests。

attamed:menced，broached。parefrench，"entamer"，tocutthefirstpieceoffajoint;thencetobegin。