We loved the place, with its glamour of romance
and history, and we prowled around the old gardens and explored the old
houses, and dreamed dreams and saw visions.
One old house that particularly interested us was the villa that had
once been the home of the Duc de Nemours, son of Louis Philippe. It was
situated directly on the famous Park of Versailles which is, as everyone
knows, one of the most beautiful parks in all the world. The villa had
not been lived in since the occupancy of de Nemours. Before the villa
came to de Nemours it had been a part of the royal property that was
portioned out to Mesdames de France, the disagreeable daughters of Louis
XV. You will remember how disagreeable they were to Marie Antoinette,
and what a burden they made her life. I wish our house had belonged to
more romantic people; Madame du Barry or Madame de Pompadour would have
suited me better!
How many, many times we peeped through the high iron railing at this
enchanted domain, sleeping like the castle in the fairy tale. The garden
was overgrown with weeds and shrubbery, the house was shabby and sadly
in need of paint. We sighed and thought how happy would be our fortune
if we might some day penetrate the mysteries of the tangled garden and
the abandoned villa. Little did we dream that this would one day be our
home.
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