Nevertheless，itwasunmistakablyhot——aheathomelikeinitsintensity，yetofadifferenteffect，throwinghimintolanguidreverieratherthanfillinghisveinswithfire。Secureinhisseclusionintheleafychase，hetookoffhisjacketandrambledoninhisshirtsleeves。Throughtheopeninghepresentlysawtheabbeyagain，withtherestoredwingwherethenobleownerlivedfortwoorthreeweeksintheyear，butnowgivenovertotheprevailingsolitude。Andthen，issuingfromthechase，hecameuponabroad，moss-grownterrace。Beforehimstretchedatangledandluxuriantwildernessofshrubsandflowers，darkenedbycypressandcedarsofLebanon；itsdundepthsilluminatedbydazzlingwhitestatues，vases，trellises，andpavedpaths，chokedandlostinthetrailinggrowthsofyearsofabandonmentandforgetfulness。Heconsultedhisguide-bookagain。Itwasthe\"oldItaliangarden，\"
constructedunderthedesignofafamousItaliangardenerbythethirdduke；butitsstudiedformalitybeingdispleasingtohissuccessor，itwasallowedtofallintopicturesquedecayandnegligentprofusion，whichwerenot，however，disturbedbylaterdescendants，——afactdeploredbytheartisticwriteroftheguide-
book，whomournfullycalledattentiontotherarebeautyofthemarblestatues，urns，andfountains，ruinedbyneglect，althoughoneortwooftherarerobjectshadbeenremovedtoDeepDeneLodge，anotherseatofthepresentduke。
ItisneedlesstosaythatMr。Potterconceivedatonceahumorousoppositiontotheartisticenthusiasmofthecritic，and，plungingintothegarden，tookamischievousdelightinitswildnessandthevictoriousstruggleofnaturewiththeformalityofart。Ateverystepthroughthetangledlabyrinthhecouldseewhereprecisionandorderhadbeeninvaded，andeventherigidmasonrybrokenorupheavedbytherebelliousforce。Yethereandtherethetwopowershadcombinedtoofferanexampleofbeautyneithercouldhaveeffectedalone。Apassionvinehadoverrunandenclaspedavasewithaperfectsymmetrynosculptorcouldhaveachieved。A
heavybalustradewasmadeetherealwithadelicatefretworkofvegetationbetweenitsbalusterslikelace。Here，however，thelapandgurgleofwaterfellgratefullyupontheearoftheperspiringandthirstyMr。Potter，andturnedhisattentiontomorematerialthings。Followingthesound，hepresentlycameuponanenormousoblongmarblebasincontainingthreetime-wornfountainswithgroupedfigures。Thepipeswereempty，silent，andchokedwithreedsandwaterplants，butthegreatbasinitselfwasfilledwithwaterfromsomeinvisiblesource。