‘Your garden doesn’t make itself very agreeable just here,’ said Serge, turning towards Albine.

They smiled at each other.  They were now near the edge of the springs.  The sight of the clear waters brought them relief.  Yet these springs did not hide beneath a covering of verdure, like those that bubble up on the plains and set thick foliage growing around them that they may slumber idly in the shade.  They shot up in the full light of day from a cavity in the rock, without a blade of grass near by to tinge the clear water with green.  Steeped in the sunshine they looked silvery.  In their depths the sun beat against the sand in a breathing living dust of light.  And they darted out of their basin like arms of purest white, they rebounded like nude infants at play, and then suddenly leapt down in a waterfall whose curve suggested a woman’s breast.

‘Dip your hands in,’ cried Albine; ’the water is icy cold at the bottom.’

They were indeed able to refresh their hot hands.  They threw water over their faces too, and lingered there amidst the spray which rose up from the streaming springs.

‘Look,’ cried Albine; ’look, there is the garden, and there are the meadows and the forest.’

For a moment they looked at the Paradou spread out beneath their feet.

‘And you see,’ she added, ’there isn’t the least sign of any wall.  The whole country belongs to us, right up to the sky.’

By this time, almost unawares, they had slipped their arms round each other’s waist.  The coolness of the springs had soothed their feverish disquietude.  But just as they were going away, Albine seemed to recall something and led Serge back again, saying: 

‘Down there, below the rocks, a long time ago, I once saw the wall.’

‘But there is nothing to be seen,’ replied Serge, turning a little pale.

’Yes, yes; it must be behind that avenue of chestnut trees on the other side of those bushes.’

Then, on feeling Serge’s arm tremble, she added:  ’But perhaps I am mistaken. . . .  Yet I seem to remember that I suddenly came upon it as I left the avenue.  It stopped my way, and was so high that I felt a little afraid.  And a few steps farther on, I came upon another surprise.  There was a huge hole in it, through which I could see the whole country outside.’

Serge looked at her with entreaty in his eyes.  She gave a little shrug of her shoulders to reassure him, and went on:  ’But I stopped the hole up; I have told you that we are quite alone, and we are.  I stopped it up at once.  I had my knife with me, and I cut down some brambles and rolled up some big stones.  I would defy even a sparrow to force its way through.  If you like, we will go and look at it one of these days, and then you will be satisfied.’