t. I was hardly a hundred yards from
her, my gun ready, when I was suddenly stopped by a crevice, which I
could not cross, though the opening was not very wide. The pretty
quadruped was on the rock opposite to me; but of what use would it have
been to shoot it, when I could not secure it. I was obliged to defer it
till a better opportunity offered, and turned to examine the opening,
which appeared deep; still I could see that the bottom of the cavity was
white, like that of our former grotto. I called Ernest, who was behind
me, with his plants and stones, to impart to him an idea that suddenly
struck me. It was, to make this the retreat for my mother. I told him
that I believed the floor of the cave was nearly on a level with the
path that led to the garden, and we had only to make an opening in the
form of a natural grotto, and it would be exactly what he wished. Ernest
was much pleased with the idea, and said he could easily ascertain the
level by means of a weight attached to a string; but though he was
startled at the difficulty of descending to our labour every day, and
returning in the evening, he would not agree to my wish of beginning at
the outside of the rock, as we had done in our former grotto, He had
several reasons for wishing to work from within. 'In the first place,'
said he, 'it will be so much cooler this summer weather; we should be
soon unable to go on labouring before the burning rock; then our path is
so narrow, that we should not know how to dispose of the rubbish; in the
interior, it will serve us to make a bench round the grotto; besides, I
should have such pleasure in completing it secretly, and unsuspected,
without any assistance or advice except yours, my dear Fritz, which I
accept with all my heart; so pray find out some means of descending and
ascending readily.'

"I immediately recollected your rope ladder, father; it was forty feet
long, and we could easily fasten it to the point of the rock. Ernest was
delighted and sanguine. We returned with all speed. We took first a roll
of cord and some candles; then the rope ladder, which we rolled up as
well as we could, but had great difficulty in conveying it up the rock;
once or twice, when the ascent was very difficult, we were obliged to
fasten a cord to it, and draw it up after us; but determination,
courage, and perseverance overcame all obstacles. We arrived at the
opening, and, on sounding it, we were glad to find our ladder would be
long