have been many steps away from the grotto, at one end or the other, when the messenger came to her.
In 1908 we asked to be shown this grotto, and we were taken to one on the further side of the Belvédère, near the hill called l'Escargot, which was formed in 1781. We felt sure that this could not have been either of the two grottos spoken of in the archives.
In 1777 the end of one grotto is mentioned as being near the porte d'entrée, "à la cloison de la porte d'entrée du jardin au bout du grotte trois pottereaux et deux traverses."[1]
In 1777 there was a "projet d'un pont et chutte en rocher, avec parapet." This was probably a bridge (the Vergelay bridge?) over the principal river where it issued from the larger lake. The river was made at this time.[2]
In June, 1780, a new "petite rivière" was planned to receive the water drained from the "ravin de la grotte," and to conduct it into the larger lake. For this purpose a new grotto was made of a "forme ovale, ornée en glaçon," through which the "petite rivière" was to run. A "ravin du petit pont" was also planned.[3]
