In front of these, two inclined planes of the same material as the walls of the house led up to the several parts of the roof.

The court was divided by broad concrete paths into four gardens.

In the centre of each was a basin of water and a fountain, above which was a square opening of some twenty feet in the roof.

Each garden was, so to speak, turfed with minute plants, smaller than daisy roots, and even more closely covering the soil than English lawn grass.

These were of different colours--emerald, gold, and purple--arranged in bands.