PARTERRE DE LATONE 



Richard, the Queen's gardener at Trianon, 

 belongs the honour of having saved it. When 

 the local sections conceived the brilliant idea of 

 using Marsy's bronze masterpieces, ornamenting 

 the fountain of Latona, to make cannons for the 

 nation, and proposed parcelling out the gardens 

 among rapacious citizens, Richard made a crafty 

 suggestion. " Why not preserve the park," he 

 said, " to be a vegetable garden for the benefit of 

 patriots ? " And suiting his action to his words, 

 he began planting potatoes in the conspicuous 

 Parterre de Latone. His philanthropy was 

 approved, and, though the fashion for potatoes 

 has passed, the park remains. 



Once more roses flourish in the borders, and 

 Latona still calls down the vengeance of the gods 

 upon the insolence of mortals. 



THEODORA DEHON 



210 



