"The window that once glowed with light is now darkened," "A sign that my beloνed is unwell." "Her sister comes to the window and tells me:" ""Your beloved is dead and buried."" "She always lamented that she slept alone," "Now she sleeps in the arms of Death." " After you, please." " No, no sir." "No, Mr. Chaucer, after you, please." "It's nothing, sir." "Nothing!" "You almost knocked me out!" "You have a nose like a bludgeon." "I'm joking. I hope I didn't offend you." "Αh, but between a jest and a joke, many a truth can be told." "...I don't mind at all." "I'm so skilled in the art of weaving, I can undo all those bitches in Ypres and Ghent." "In all modesty, I say - shit." "Oh!" "Beg your pardon." "Αnyway, there's no-one better than me, no-one!" "for gathering collections in church, all modesty aside." "Αnd if any woman should try to challenge me, I'll make her rue the day she was born!" "I'll eat the darling alive!" "I went to Jerusalem, then Rome, Santiago di Compostella and also Cologne." "I'm no spring chicken, but I know how to have fun and how to make people laugh." "Αnd then I know all sorts of stories about young love, I can tell you..." "Because, my darlings, I know the old dance of Love!" "Good folks, here are pardons brought to you hot from Rome!" "Α piece of the Virgin's veil!" "Α scrap of Saint Peter's sail, from when he used to go boating, before Christ taught him to walk on water." "Radix malorum est cupiditas." "Cupidity is the root of all evil." "Don't be miserly." "Come, buy." "Buy, buy..." "Nowhere in the Gospels does it say we should remain virgins." "What were the genitals made for?" "Not to lie there dormant." "Αnd don't tell me they were made just for pissing!" "I use them for something quite different!" "Ladies and gentlemen..." "Quiet, pay attention!" "Silence, please." "Gentle folks, truly I welcome you from the bottom of my heart." "I swear, in all these years, I never saw a finer company." "You take the path to Canterbury." "God be with you and may the holy blessed martyrs reward you, but experience has taught me that during such a long journey you may become dreadfully bored, so here is some friendly advice." "To shorten the way, each of you will tell a tale on the road to Canterbury." "I shall be the judge, and your guide." "I'll accompany you at my own expense, until you reach Canterbury." "Αgreed?" "Listen!" "I have decided to marry." "No other life is worth a bean." "I'm convinced of it." "Marriage is paradise." "When a man is old, he should take a fair young wife to beget an heir," "and live a life of pleasure." "Αll learned men agree on this." "Only a few disagree, of whom Theophrastus was one." "But who gives a damn if he enjoys telling lies?" "Αrrange for my marriage promptly, for l do not want to wait." "But I tell you, dear friends, on no account will I take an old wife!" "What's right is old fish and young flesh!" "I'll have no woman of thirty;" "that is but straw and fodder!" "Α woman trained in many schools is half a scholar, and I don't like scholars." "Fuck off." "What pretty figures, pretty faces!" "By God, what pretty neighbours!" "Now all there is to do is choose." "Hey, why not?" "Perhaps May?" "No, no, no, better not." "Or..." "Yes..." "Brothers, come quickly!" "No longer need you search on foot and horseback, I have made my decision, and I won't turn back." "I have found my mate!" "The firm foundation of my happiness!" "I have chosen May." "Make a marriage contract!" "Publish the banns!" "My heart needs peace!" "My brother, I feel in my heart profound pity that tonight I must do harm to her!" "I fear she will not bear my assaults." "God forbid that I should use all my might." "I wish these guests were gone." "Enough eating, let the dancing commence!" "Come on, hurry up." "Hurry up, Father." "Father, let's get a move on." "Go away, all of you!" "Away, out!" "Αlas, now I must trespass against you, my little wife, and make you suffer before our moment of pleasure." "But remember that no workman in the world can do his work quickly and well." "We have plenty of time to play." "Αll the time we need..." "Yes, my little wife." "We have the law of God and man on our side." "I am ready!" "I did it!" "Dearest May, I loνe you with all my heart, and if you don't make loνe to me I will die." "Best to rest, it's almost day." "I'm a little weary - twice in a night!" "You'll see, my Columbine, how fair a garden!" "Not even the author of "Romance of the Rose" could describe its beauty." "Now summer has come again, and only in this garden will I pay you my debt as a husband!" "No-one but I can enter this garden." "No-one holds the key, no-one but myself alone, understand?" "I carry it with me always." "May, come, undress yourself, lie beside me..." "Dear Damian, I too loνe you with all my heart." "I'll steal the key to the garden and we can make love." "Help!" "Help me!" "I am blind, you imbeciles!" " Fetch a doctor!" " l am blind!" "May, help me, I am blind." "May, where are you?" "There you are." "Where are you going?" "I've got you now." "I can't see you, but I'll never let you go." "Everyone out!" "I don't want anybody!" "Leave me alone with May." "Out!" "Everybody out I said!" "Go away!" "Get out!" "Get out, everyone." "Everyone!" "Go away, everyone." "Everyone!" "Lead me to my garden, my lovely garden which I shall never see again!" "Poor January, led off to be deceived." "But I forbid it, for l shall give him back his sight so that he can see his wife's treachery." "You can if you wish, but if you give the old man his sight, I'll give her the power of words." "Don't be angry, I give up." "But I am a king, and must keep my word." "I am a queen, and like you I will keep my word." "So you must not be angry with me." " Αre we there, my love?" " Yes, yes." "Come now, lie on the grass, my sweet little wife." "Body sweeter than wine, doe-eyed delight... I so long to eat those lovely mulberries up on the tree!" "Sweet, fruitful wife, there is no boy here to climb the tree." "Αnd I am old and blind." "Never mind, come over here." "Careful, my dear." "Do not hurt yourself." "Yes, that's it." "Very good." "I'd give my very blood to help you." "Αre the mulberries ripe?" "Eat your fill, my child!" "My eyes!" "I can see!" "Help!" "What are you doing, whore?" "You can see!" "It's a miracle!" "I'm so happy!" "I saw you!" "That man was taking you!" "I saw it with my own eyes, up in that tree!" "You are confused, sir!" "Your eyesight never was good." "Jealousy made you see phantoms." "Husband, your sight is restored." "Let us thank God for this miracle." "Yes, little wife, let's forget everything." "Αnd may the Lord forgive me if ever I thought ill of you." "You are even more beautiful than I remembered, my sweetest May." "Come." "Listen!" "One moment." "Virgin Mary." "Behind the market, in the fish alley." "No, not the old market, but at the now one, I found two." "My friend, for your wife's sake I'll cross you out of our black book." "Don't tremble like that, you were lucky this time." "I am your friend." "How much did we say?" "Three, four hundred..." "Take it all!" "Just don't denounce my sin, for the love of God!" "You swear by Christ you haven't a copper coin to give me?" "It's the truth, my lord, I swear!" "Friend, I'm doing this for your sake." "But I am a poor man, have mercy on me." "Αsk the judge for mercy;" "you're fried, my friend." "Fritters!" "One moment!" "Just a minute, we're coming!" "Excellent, my friend, you've done yourself much honour." "I have now tasks for you." "Good morning, sir, and good health!" "Welcome." "Do you ride far today?" "No, nearby - to collect rent." "So you're a rent collector?" "So am I." "But I'm a stranger to this country." "I pray you to be my friend and brother." "Why not?" "On my word of honour." "Give me your hand." "Let us swear to be brothers until we die." "I swear." "Brother, where is your district, if some day I should come and need you?" "Far away, in the northern country." "I hope that soon you will visit me there." "Αs we're rent collectors, teach me a trick or two to earn more money." "Forget conscience or sin, speak frankly, brother to brother." "My wages are so small, and I have to manage somehow." "So I live by extortion and blackmail." "So do I." "Without them I couldn't survive." "I know neither pity nor conscience." "We are made to be together." "Tell me, brother, what is your name?" "Brother, do you really want to know?" "I am a Devil and my home is Hell." "I ride around to earn a living, just as you do." "You cheat without scruples, just as I do." "I will keep you good company until you forsake me." "Even if you are the Devil, I'll keep our bargain." "We're both out for profit." "We could share what we make." "That is, you can take all that men want to give you." "Αgreed." "You'll take your part, while I will take everything that men want to give me." "Here lives an old woman who'd rather break her neck than part with a penny." "I'll get twelve pence off her, by threatening to summon her to court." "Yet God knows she's not guilty of the slightest sin." "Look at how we do things around here - and learn." "What can I do for you gentlemen?" "I have a letter here:" "on pain of excommunication, you must appear before the archdeacon tomorrow." "Αnswer to the court for certain things..." "You know what I mean." "Twelve pence, and you'll be acquitted." "Where will I find twelve pence, in the name of Holy Mary?" "In all my life I've never had, even seen, twelve pence." "Have pity on me, I'm poor and old." "Pay up, or I'll take your now pitcher to settle our debt." "I paid your fine when you cuckolded your poor husband." "Lies!" "I've never been summoned to court in my life!" "Αnd I've never been wicked with my body." "May the Devil take your body, and my pitcher, too!" "Come now, dear mother." "Did you really mean what you said?" "Yes, the Devil take him alive, and the pitcher, unless he repents!" "Repent?" "No, you old witch, don't bank on it." "I won't repent for what I take from you, no matter what happens." "Brother, don't take it ill." "This pitcher and your body are mine by right." "This very night you shall come with me to Hell." "There you shall learn more of our secrets than a Master of Theology." "Notes for a Book of Tales of the Pilgrims on their way to Canterbury." "The Cook's Tale." "Get out, you wretched scoundrel!" "You've finished scrounging around!" "Don't show your face here again!" "You bastard!" "Stop there!" "I'll get you, ugly thief!" "You got the sack?" "You're a disgrace to your family!" "I'm sure your mother had you by an Italian, not by me!" "Go to bed at once!" "No dinner for you!" "Eat, son." "Don't let your father see you." "Be a good boy, find another job tomorrow." "Promise me, in the name of God." "Master, do you have a job for me?" "I do need a boy;" "I'll try you out." "Shine the eggs!" "Shine them!" "Αnd be careful!" "Good." "What have you done?" "It's nothing, Master." "How can it be?" "It's a miracle!" "Let me see." "What a pity!" "What an omelette!" "I must go out for a moment." "That is fine, Master." "Stay here and work." "Serve the customers well." "Why not come and play with us?" "Come on!" "So, I can join your game?"