Passing the point on her left hand where the little cascade entered from above,[1] she climbed the rock staircase[2] leading to the upper opening[3] near the porte d'entrée. Coming out upon
- ↑ A small ravine between the first and second grottos may have been spanned by the "pont rustique" of D'Hezecques, passing over the miniature waterfall issuing from "la 2ième source du Ravin" (nearer the Theatre than the first spring) (O1, 1882). This would have given the name "ravin du petit pont" (O1, 1875). The waterfall probably fell into the little pool, whose waters were carried by a "ruisseau" through the second (the Queen's) grotto to the great lake. A rough sketch in the Arch. Nat. shows a small bridge in this position. The cavern-like mouth at the lower end of the Queen's grotto, close to the Rocher bridge, is shown in L'Espinasse's picture of 1783. It is to be observed that in this picture no large rock (such as there is now) was over the long bridge which stood upon low rocks between the two lakes. The picture suggests that the rock opening of the grotto has been lifted away from its original place to its present position over the long Rocher bridge.
- ↑ D'Hezecques describes the grotto as dark on first entering, lined with moss, and as having a staircase within it leading to the summit of the rocks. This staircase may be identical with the rock staircase now attached by modern masonry to the back of the great rock over the bridge, without any apparent reason.
- ↑ A view of the prairie (also a condition of the Queen's grotto described by D'Hezecques) is obtainable from the high ground in this part of the English garden.
waters away direct to the great lake, was made; a grotto of "oval form" was dug round it, and a montagne raised to cover it in (O1, 1875). This second grotto was probably the one described by D'Hezecques: it must have turned at an angle from the first grotto and ended near the Rocher bridge, the tiny ruisseau passing through and beyond it into the great lake (O1, 1875).
