But you must remember that in those prehistoric
days there was no Casino! It is the Casino which has transformed Lacville
into what we now see."
"Then we have reason to bless the Casino!" cried Sylvia, gaily.
They had now left behind them the wide lawn immediately behind the Villa
du Lac, and were walking by a long, high wall. The Count pushed open a
narrow door set in an arch in the wall, and Sylvia walked through into
one of the largest and most delightful kitchen-gardens she had ever seen.
It was brilliant with colour and scent; the more homely summer flowers
filled the borders, while, at each place where four paths met, a round,
stone-rimmed basin, filled with water to the brim, gave a sense of
pleasant coolness.
The farther end of the walled garden was bounded by a stone orangery, a
building dating from the eighteenth century, and full of the stately
grace of a vanished epoch.
"What a delightful place!" Sylvia exclaimed. "But this garden must cost
M. Polperro a great deal of money to keep up--"
The Comte de Virieu laughed.
"Far from it! Our clever host hires out his _potager_ to a firm of market
gardeners, part of the bargain being that they allow him to have as much
fruit and vegetables as he requires throughout the year.
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