And he that hath the cut, with hearte blithe Shall renne[240] to the town, and that full swith,[241] And bring us bread and wine full privily; And two of us shall keepen subtlely This treasure well; and if he will not tarry, When it is night, we will this treasure carry By one assent, where as us thinketh best." That one of hem the cut brought in his fist, And bade hem draw and look where it will fall, And it fell on the youngest of hem all: And forth toward the town he went anon. And also[242] soon as that he was agone, That one of hem spake thus unto that other; "Thou knowest well thou art my sworen brother; Thy profit will I tellen thee anon. Thou wost[243] well that our fellow is agone, And here is gold, and that full great plenty, That shall departed be among us three. But natheless, if I can shape it so, That it departed were among us two, Had I not done a friendes turn to thee?" That other answered, "I not[244] how that may be: He wot how that the gold is with us tway.[245] What shall we do? what shall we to him say?" "Shall it be counsel?" said the firste shrew; "And I shall tellen thee in wordes few What we shall do, and bring it well about." "I grante," quoth that other, "out of doubt, That by my truth I shall thee not bewray." "Now," quoth the first, "thou wost well we be tway, And two of us shall strenger be than one. Look, when that he is set, thou right anon Arise, as though thou wouldest with him play; And I shall rive him through the sides tway, While that thou strugglest with him as in game, And with thy dagger look thou do the same; And then shall all this gold departed be, My deare friend, betwixen me and thee: Then may we both our lustes all fulfill, And play at dice right at our owen will." And thus accorded be these shrewes tway To slay the third, as ye have heard me say. This youngest, which that went unto the town, Full oft in heart he rolleth up and down The beauty of these florins new and bright. "O Lord!" quoth he, "if so were that I might Have all this treasure to myself alone, There is no man that liveth under the throne Of God, that shoulde live so merry as I." And the last the fiend, our enemy, Put in his thought that he should poison bey,[246] With which he mighte slay his fellows twaye. Forwhy[247] the fiend found him in such living, That he had leave him to sorrow bring. For this was utterly his full intent To slay hem both, and never to repent. And forth he goeth, no lenger would he tarry, Into the town unto a 'pothecary, And prayed him that he him woulde sell Some poison, that he might his rattes quell, And eke there was a polecat in his haw[248] That, as he said, his capons had yslawe[249]; And fain he woulde wreak[250] him if he might, On vermin, that destroyed him by night. The 'pothecary answered, "And thou shalt have A thing that, also[251] God my soule save,