That same night, Absolon comes and begs Alisoun to kiss him. At first she refuses him, but Absolon persists, so she offers him one quick kiss. Instead of presenting her lips to Absolon's, though, she sticks her backside out the bedroom's "shot-window" (privy vent), and Absolon kisses her "ers" (buttocks) in the dark. Angry at being fooled, Absolon gets a red-hot coulter from the smith with which he intends to burn Alisoun. He returns with it to the window and knocks again, promising Alisoun a gold ring in exchange for a kiss. This time, Nicholas, having gotten up to relieve himself anyway, sticks his buttocks out to get in on the joke and farts thunderously in Absolon's face. Absolon thrusts the coulter "amidst the ers" of Nicholas who cries out for "Water!" to assuage the pain.