"Here it is," the marshal said. "You see that the walls are 200 feet long,
they are 12 feet in height, with a tower at the end and one over the
gateway in the centre six feet high. There is a drawbridge defended by an
outwork of palisades six feet high. The moat will be a dry one, seeing that
we have no means of filling it with water, but it will be supposed to be
full, and must be crossed on planks or bridges. Two small towers on wheels
will be provided, which may be run up to the edge of the moat, and will be
as high as the top of the towers.

"Surely they cannot make all this before morning?" Walter said.

"They will do so," the marshal replied. "The castle has been put together
in the king's courtyard, and the pieces are all numbered. Two hundred
carpenters will labour all night at it, besides a party of labourers for
the digging of the moat. It will be a rare show, and will delight both the
citizens and the ladies of the court, for such a thing has never before
been attempted. But the king grudges not the expense which it will cost
him, seeing that spectacles of this kind do much to arouse the warlike
spirit of the people. Here is a list of the various implements which will
be provided, only it is understood that the mangonels and arblasts will not
be provided with missiles, seeing that many would assuredly be killed by
them. They will be employed, however, to show the nature of the work, and
parties of men-at-arms will be told off to serve them. Crossbows and
arrows will be used, but the weapons will be blunted. You will see that
there are ladders, planks for making bridges, long hooks for hauling men
down from the wall, beams for battering down the gate, axes for cutting
down the palisades, and all other weapons. The ten who will serve under
you as knights have already been nominated, and the city will furnish them
with full armour. For the others, the apprentices of each ward will choose