noon
He could see how feasible it was to dig a covered way under fire of the guns , making the approach and the bombardment simultaneous ; and he would have replied , but that instant a mob of laborers -- so the spades and picks they bore bespoke them -- poured from the embrasure of the larger gun , and , distributing themselves at easy working intervals along the staked line , began throwing up the earth on the side next the city . Officers with whips accompanied and stood over them . The engineer -- if we may apply the modern term -- was at length under fire of the besieged ; still he kept on ; only when he exhausted his supply of stakes did he retire , leaving it inferrible that the trench was to run through the opening in the cemetery to the bridge way before the gate . At noon , the laborers being well sunk in the ground , the cannon again vomited fire and smoke , and with thunderous reports launched their heavy bullets at the towers . Again the ancient piles shook from top to base . Some of the balistiers were thrown down . The Emperor staggered under the shock .