袋鼠小说

THE PRIORESSS TALE（第1页）

theprologue

"wellsaid，by*corpusdomini，"*quothourhost;*thelordsbody*

"nowlongemaystthousailebythecoast，

thougentlemaster，gentlemarinere。

godgivethenk*athousandlastquadyear!**eversomuchevil*

aha!fellows，bewareofsuchajape。**trick

thenk*putinthemanneshoodanape，**fooledhim*

andinhiswifeseke，bysaintaustin。

drawenonkesreintoyourinn。

butnowpassover，andletusseekabout，

whoshallnowtellefirstofallthisrou

anothertale;"andwiththatwordhesaid，

ascourteouslyasithadbeenamaid;

"myladyprioresse，byyourleave，

sothatiwistishouldeyounotgrieve，**offend

iwouldedeeme*thatyetelleshould*judge，decide

atalenext，ifsowerethatyewould。

nowwillyevouchesafe，myladydear?"

"gladly，"quothshe;andsaidasyeshallhear。

athousandlastquadyear:eversomuchevil。"last"meansaload，"quad，"bad;andliterallywemayread"athousandweightofbadyears。"theitaliansuse"malanno"inthesamesense。