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.