These had the effect, not only of giving shelter from an enemy's fire, but of affording means by which troops could march rapidly across the town upon the roofs of the 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.