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Page 198
Geoffrey. Before he had a chance to act on this idea, he saw serfs running from the kitchen quarters bearing loaves of bread and rounds of cheese. Others followed more slowly, lugging huge kettles of soup or stew and barrels of beer. Resignedly Simon sat down and rested his back against the wall. It was not likely, anyway, that anyone would have any sure word of Geoffrey for him.
They ate on the walls, watching the king's forces while the serfs ran back and forth bringing new arrows from the store of weapons, replacing any broken thrusting poles or dulled or damaged weapons for the smiths to start working on, and gathering the spent crossbow bolts to refill the quivers of their own crossbowmen. The leeches came around to wash and bandage the lightly wounded and direct the worst hurt to be taken down for treatment.
Simon had seen it all before, and after a while he stood and looked out toward the king's camp. There seemed to be a conference taking place there, but it was too far away for Simon to tell who attended it. All that was clear, then, was the result. The massed men broke up and drew away. Apparently there would not be another assault this dayor the defenders were supposed to believe that it would not be renewed.
But it was no device to deceive. Simon stayed until the clang of cooking pots and armorers came faintly from the camp, indicating that there really would be a period of quiet. He then chose a few men, all unhurt, and ordered them to watch closely for any hint of a surprise attack. The other men were to try to sleep, as it was quite likely the next attack would come at night. Those on guard could amuse themselves by firing burning, pitch-headed arrows at anything they hoped they could set afire.
Having done his duty, Simon went down and joined the other leaders in the hall. Richard was listening to reports and it was quite clear that they had sustained

 
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