And lops away the dead wood from his trunk,

And I will hug him like the mistletoe.

Geoffrey, thou art the man.

CHAUCER

[As Alisoun is about to embrace him, turns to the Man-of-Law.]

Cold-blooded knave!

The flower of women and the wit of wives—

Yet I must lose her!

MAN-OF-LAW

Blame not me, sir; blame