3 quoted lines
Roy C Lackey wrote:
...And the clincher is this: after getting inside and struggling with
Sidero for control -- a contest which he wins, because he is a human -- he forces Sidero to go back and get his weapons and belt. He then puts the belt on " ... and buckled it around Sidero's waist without a thumb's width to spare." (second page of ch. IX) How much slack would there be in his belt? Six inches? Eight? Bulky, Sidero ain't.
So Sidero has a trim waistline for a suit of animated armour; I'm pleased for him. He also has knees and ankles big enough to thrust a booted foot through, and a chest cavity big enough to contain the
-whole- of Severian. It's only -after- Sidero has closed his chest, with Severian inside, that Sev starts pushing his arms and legs into Sidero's.
If you regard these as human-sized proportions, I hope I never spill your beer.
(As for Sev taking off his knife and gun belt to get in: bear in mind that the blade of this knife alone is about two spans (18") long. Stick a handle on that, and add one of those hunting-knife sheaths with a separate pocket, and a gun, and holster, and you can see his point.)