but be sure of this:--not one word of what is coming must pass your
lips to anyone save your wife. Such is heaven's decree."

Away went the carpenter to tell his wife, and she, though she was in
the plot, feigned great fear and wept and wailed, till her husband
went off to make his preparations. He bought three tubs and hung them
up high from the rafters, put in each of them bread, meat, and ale,
and even made three ladders to climb up by. Then on the day that
Nicholas had named, before it was light, they all three climbed up to
their tubs. Said Nicholas, "Have you a knife by you so that when this
water comes you may cut your tub loose and float away?" "I have,"
said the carpenter. "Then from this time on we must keep absolute
silence," said Nicholas.

By and by the carpenter, for all his fear, fell asleep. As soon as
they heard him snoring Nicholas and Alisoun crept down and went to
the fair.

In the market-place the waggons on which the plays are acted were
already drawn up. The actors were there in all their finery. There
was Abraham with his rich robe, and Pilate and Herod appeared in
their crowns and shining jewels, and roared out their speeches to the
delighted audience. The flames gushed out from "hell's mouth," and
eerie-looking demons romped and capered, now on the stage, now among
the spectators. The minstrels were there too. Never was such
frivolity. Alisoun danced with Nicholas, and all the company said
they were the best pair there.

At last, long after dusk, they went home. Just as they drew near the
carpenter's house, Nicholas bethought him of a new dance. He was so