There was also a nun, a prioress, 
Who, in her smiling, modest was and coy; 
Her greatest oath was but "By Saint Eloy!" 
And she was known as Madam Eglantine. 

还有一位女尼, 是女修道院长。

她的微笑腼腆而天真,

不过是说一声“ 圣洛哀为证” 就罢了, 这是她最凶的誓咒。

她的名字叫做玫瑰女士。
Full well she sang the services divine, 
Intoning through her nose, becomingly; 
And fair she spoke her French, and fluently, 
After the school of Stratford-at-the-Bow, 
For French of Paris was not hers to know. 

礼拜时唱得最好的就要数她了,

她从鼻中哼出音调来, 十分悦耳,

她讲着一口文雅的法语,

不过是斯特拉福修道院里的法语,

她并不会讲巴黎的法语。
At table she had been well taught withal, 
And never from her lips let morsels fall, 
Nor dipped her fingers deep in sauce, but ate 
With so much care the food upon her plate 
That never driblet fell upon her breast. 

她学了一套道地的餐桌礼节,

不容许唇边漏下; 小块食物,

当手捏食物蘸汁的时候;

她不让指头浸入汤汁,

她把食物轻送口中, 不让碎屑落在胸前
In courtesy she had delight and zest. 
Her upper lip was always wiped so clean 
That in her cup was no iota seen 
Of grease, when she had drunk her draught of wine. 
Becomingly she reached for meat to dine. 
And certainly delighting in good sport, 

她最爱讲礼貌。

她的上唇擦得干净,

不使有任何薄层的油渍留下在杯沿上;

 她进食时一举一动都极细腻。
She was right pleasant, amiable- in short. 
She was at pains to counterfeit the look 
Of courtliness, and stately manners took, 
And would be held worthy of reverence. 。

的确,她是一个温雅, 饶有志趣, 举止柔和的人物。

她行为庄重,

 竭力学着宫闱礼节, 令人起敬。
But, to say something of her moral sense, 
She was so charitable and piteous 
That she would weep if she but saw a mouse 
Caught in a trap, though it were dead or bled. 。

讲到她的心肠, 娇嫩温柔,

只消见到捕机上夹上了一只小鼠, 流着血或是死去,

她就禁不住要哭起来。
She had some little dogs, too, that she fed 
On roasted flesh, or milk and fine white bread. 
But sore she'd weep if one of them were dead, 
Or if men smote it with a rod to smart: 
For pity ruled her, and her tender heart. 

她养育着几只小狗,

喂的是牛乳, 烩肉和最佳美的面包。

倘是它们当中死了一只,

或被有人用棍子打了一下。

她就会伤心流泪,

她一副柔肠, 富于情感。
Right decorous her pleated wimple was; 
Her nose was fine; her eyes were blue as glass; 
Her mouth was small and therewith soft and red; 
But certainly she had a fair forehead; 
It was almost a full span broad, I own, 

她的头巾上迭起整洁的折痕。

玻璃似的灰色眼珠,

细匀的鼻儿, 红软的小口,

前额丰满, 足足有一手的宽度。
For, truth to tell, she was not undergrown. 
Neat was her cloak, as I was well aware. 
Of coral small about her arm she'd bear 
A string of beads and gauded all with green; 
And therefrom hung a brooch of golden sheen 
Whereon there was first written a crowned "A," 
And under, Amor Vincit Omnia. 

的确, 她的身材不能算矮小的了。

她的外衣非常雅洁, 我还注意到一串珊瑚念珠套在臂膀上,

当中夹着绿色的大颗珠子, 串珠上挂有一只金质的饰针,

针上刻的是第一个字母, 一句拉丁成语在它的后面接着,

意思是“ 爱情战胜一切”。