For this reason Tirant was forced to retreat, but he did
so against his will, and they pursued him right up to the gates.
The doctors arrived and had Tirant's armor removed, and they
found many wounds including three that were very dangerous.
When the Moors saw that the Christians had withdrawn inside the
city, they tightened the siege and crossed over the river. They
brought so many oxen and camels that they could not be counted.
They used these as an obstacle to the Christians in battle, for
their horses could not run, and no one could enter or leave the
city.
Tirant was afraid they might mine under the castle. He ordered
the men to make a countermine, and in all the lower rooms they
were to place brass basins. This was done so that if a pickaxe
was about to come through a wall in that room, all the brass
basins would clang together and make a great noise. After the
brass basins were set up, they began to work on the countermine.
After a few days, when Tirant was well and ready to bear arms, a
serving girl inside the castle was kneading flour, and she heard
the basins moving around, making noise.
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