'Certes,' quod I, 'these thinges ben clere y-nough; and that

we han concluded a litel her-biforn. But I praye thee that thou

telle me, yif thou acordest [to leten] no torment to sowles, after that

the body is ended by the deeth;' this is to seyn, understandestow

aught that sowles han any torment after the deeth of the body?

105

'Certes,' quod she, 'ye; and that right greet; of which sowles,'

quod she, 'I trowe that some ben tormented by asprenesse of

peyne; and some sowles, I trowe, ben exercised by a purginge

mekenesse. But my conseil nis nat to determinye of thise peynes.