Page 49 - A Knight of the White Cross

houses to reinforce the defenders of the wall, wherever pressed by the
enemy. Thus the town from above presented the appearance of a great

pavement, broken only by dark and frequently interrupted lines.

"How different to the towns at home!" Gervaise exclaimed, as, after gazing
long upon the beautiful country outside the walls, he turned and looked
inward. "One would hardly know that it was a town at all."

"Yes, it is rather different to the view from the top of the tower of Notre

Dame, which I ascended while I was staying in Paris. But this sort of
building is best here; the thickness of the stone roofs keeps out the heat of
the sun, and it is only when it is almost overhead that it shines down into

the narrow streets. As you can see by the number of the people on the roofs,
they use them as a resort in the evening. Then carpets are spread, and they

receive visitors, and can talk to their neighbours over the low walls that
separate the roofs. You can trace the divisions. Some of the house roofs are
larger than others, but all are upon the same level; this being the regulation,

in order that there might be free passage everywhere for the troops."

By the time they had made the circuit of the walls darkness had fallen, and
concealed the martial features of the scene. Lights twinkled everywhere
upon the stone terraces; the sound of lutes and other musical instruments

came up softly on the still air, with the hum of talk and laughter. The sea
lay as smooth as a mirror, and reflected the light of the stars, and the black

hulls of the galleys and ships in the harbour lay still and motionless.

Greatly pleased with his first experience of the city that was to be his future

home, Gervaise returned, with his companions, to the auberge of Auvergne.

The next morning the bailiff D'Aubusson bade Gervaise accompany him to
the palace of the grand master. Here he introduced him to Orsini, an old
and feeble man, who, after a few kind words, handed him over to the

chamberlain, who, in turn, led him to the official who was in charge of the
pages. That officer took him down to the courtyard, where four young

knights were engaged in superintending the military exercises of the pages.
The scene was exactly the same as that to which Gervaise had been