United States or Tunisia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Upon this foundation supported by eight square stones, each a foot in height, there was laid a slab of white stone five inches thick; four other slabs of the same thickness closed the sides and ends, which, being joined at the angles by Roman cement, formed a species of stone grave or sarcophagus. This was just of depth sufficient to admit the coffin being placed within it.
After the breaking-up of the Hôtel de Rambouillet, there were formed various smaller coteries, among which that of Mme. de La Fayette was by no means the least important. From her little circle of précieuses, Mme. de La Fayette was drawn to the Court of Louis XIV. chiefly through the friendship of "Madame," the Princess Henrietta of England.
Above the slab of white stone which formed the cover of the stone grave, two layers of masonry strongly cemented and even cramped together, were built in, so as to unite with the two foot wall which supported the earth on each side, and the vacant space between this last work of masonry and the surface of the ground, being about eight feet in depth, was afterwards filled up with earth.
The grave was formed in the following manner: A large pit was sunk, of a sufficient width all round to admit of a wall two feet thick of solid masonry being constructed on each side; thus forming an exact oblong, the hollow space within which was precisely twelve feet deep, near eight long and five wide. A bed of masonry was at the bottom.
Mot du Jour
D'autres à la Recherche