Page:The Journal of English and Germanic Philology Volume 18.djvu/609

 The Secret of Chaucer's Pardoner 605 delights. The physical stamina of the Wife of Bath has his unbounded admiration. Her eloquent sermon against virginity and in favor of the proper use of God-given powers of body for the promotion of carnal pleasure, 67 meets with his enthusiastic approval. He even interrupts her steady flow of language to applaud : 'Now dame', quod he, 'by god and by seint John, Ye been a noble prechour in this cas!' 68 There is one part of her discourse, however, which strikes him with panic. Being naturally of a passionate disposition, she affirms that her husband will always be her slave and thrall. He shall pay his debts, sanctioned by the Apostle, both morning and evening. As long as she shall be his wife, he must have tribula- tion of the flesh and must make his body subject in love to her desire. 59 This is too much for the Pardoner. If this is the pro- per relation between husband and wife, he has just escaped being plunged into a most horrible situation; I was about to wedde a wyf; alas! What sholde I bye it on my flesh so dere? Yet hadde I lever wedde no wyf to-yere! 60 At this unexpected interruption the Pilgrims do not even smile. Perhaps they remember his former anger and are content to let him play his little farce in peace. At any rate, this is the Par- doner's last boast. In it may be plainly seen his painful con- sciousness of physical incompleteness and perhaps a bit of wistful sadness because of his misfortune. 61 If this interpretation of the Pardoner's character is true and I can see no valid reason to the contrary he is to be pitied rather than censured. Born a eunuch and in consequence pro- vided by nature with a warped mind and soul, he is compelled to follow the lead of his unholy impulses into debauchery, vice, and crime. Being an outcast from human society, he satisfies 67 C. T., D. 95-150. 68 C. T., D. 164. 69 C.T., D. 150-160. 60 C.T., D. 166 ff. 81 For a different interpretation of this interruption cf. Ten Brink, History of English Literature, trans. Win. C. Robinson, Vol. II, p. 161.