CHAUCERS TALE OF SIR THOPAS（第1页）

theprologue

whensaidwasthismiracle，everyman

assober*was，thatwonderwastosee，*serious

tillthatourhosttojapen*hebegan，*talklightly

andthen*aterst*helookeduponme，*forthefirsttime*

andsaidethus;"whatmanartthou?"quothhe;

"thoulookestasthouwouldestfindanhare

foreveronthegroundiseetheestare.

"approachenear，andlookupmerrily.

nowwareyou，sirs，andletthismanhaveplace.

heinthewaistisshapenaswellasi;

thiswereapuppetinanarmtembrace

foranywomansmallandfairofface.

heseemethelvish*byhiscountenance，*surly，rose

foruntonowightdothhedalliance.

"saynowsomewhat，sinceotherfolkhavesaid;

tel露sataleofmirth，andthatanon."

"hoste，"quothi，"benotevilapaid，**dissatisfie

forothertalecertescan*inone，*know

eutofarhymeilearnedyore*agone."*long

"yea，thatisgood，"quothhe;"nowshallwehear

somedaintything，methinkethbythycheer."**expression，mien

thisprologueisinteres，forthepicturewhichitgivesofchaucerhimself;ridingapartfromandindifferenttotherestofthepilgrims，witheyesfixedontheground，andan"elvish"，rose，orratherself-absorbedair;portly，ifnotactuallystout，inbody;andevidentlyamanoutofthen，astheclosingwordsofthehostimply.

referringtothepoetscorpulency.