The people, in turn, are infatuated with the novel sensations of attack and resistance, with the smell of gunpowder, with the excitement of the contest; all they can think of doing is to rush against the mass of stone, their expedients being on a level with their tactics.

A brewer fancies that he can set fire to this block of masonry by pumping over it spikenard and poppy-seed oil mixed with phosphorus.

A young carpenter, who has some archaeological notions, proposes to construct a catapult.

Some of them think that they have seized the governor's daughter, and want to burn her in order to make the father surrender.

Others set fire to a projecting mass of buildings filled with straw, and thus close up the passage.