her to take part in any festivities.

All went smoothly, however, till the time for the yearly plays came
round, when the stories of Adam, Joseph and Herod, and many another
Bible hero, are performed in the market-place. Such times are
holidays for all. Everybody goes to the plays, and all the young
people take part in them. Alisoun longed to go, but she knew it was
no good asking her, tyrannical husband.

One day, while her husband was away at Osney, she told Nicholas of
her desire, and cried to him because she was kept so strictly at
home. Nicholas was sorry for her. "What is the good of being a
scholar if I cannot outwit a carpenter?" he said. "I will find a way
out." They made their plan between them and carried up into
Nicholas's room enough food for two or three days. Neither, that day
nor the next did Nicholas come down to meals, until at last the
carpenter began to get anxious. "Have you called Nicholas?" he said
to his wife. "Why, yes!" she said. "I have sent my maid to knock and
there is no answer." "Perhaps he is ill," answered the carpenter.
"Life is very uncertain these days. Why, but yesterday I saw a corpse
carried to the churchyard, and another last week. I do hope no harm
has befallen the young man." Then he sent his man to see what he
could do. The man knocked but got no answer. Then he noticed a hole
in the bottom of the door by which the cat used to go in and out, and
stooping down he looked through. Nicholas was sitting in a chair with
his head back, staring at something. Down went the man and told what
he had seen. "Alas!" said the carpenter, "he is certainly mad. This
is what comes of his studies. I have heard tell of another astronomer
who was so busy looking at the stars that he fell into a clay pit. I
fear something like that has happened to Nicholas. I will go and see