the bottle neck-第3章

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The　illumination　extended　even　to　the　most　retired　of　the　garden

walks；　at　least　not　so　retired　that　any　one　need　lose　himself　there。

In　the　borders　were　placed　bottles；　each　containing　a　light；　and　among

them　the　bottle　with　which　we　are　acquainted；　and　whose　fate　it　was；

one　day；　to　be　only　a　bottle　neck；　and　to　serve　as　a　water…glass　to

a　bird's…cage。　Everything　here　appeared　lovely　to　our　bottle；　for　it

was　again　in　the　green　wood；　amid　joy　and　feasting；　again　it　heard

music　and　song；　and　the　noise　and　murmur　of　a　crowd；　especially　in

that　part　of　the　garden　where　the　lamps　blazed；　and　the　paper　lanterns

displayed　their　brilliant　colors。　It　stood　in　a　distant　walk

certainly；　but　a　place　pleasant　for　contemplation；　and　it　carried　a

light；　and　was　at　once　useful　and　ornamental。　In　such　an　hour　it　is

easy　to　forget　that　one　has　spent　twenty　years　in　a　loft；　and　a　good

thing　it　is　to　be　able　to　do　so。　Close　before　the　bottle　passed　a

single　pair；　like　the　bridal　pair…　the　mate　and　the　furrier's

daughter…　who　had　so　long　ago　wandered　in　the　wood。　It　seemed　to　the

bottle　as　if　he　were　living　that　time　over　again。　Not　only　the

guests　but　other　people　were　walking　in　the　garden；　who　were　allowed

to　witness　the　splendor　and　the　festivities。　Among　the　latter　came

an　old　maid；　who　seemed　to　be　quite　alone　in　the　world。　She　was

thinking；　like　the　bottle；　of　the　green　wood；　and　of　a　young　betrothed

pair；　who　were　closely　connected　with　herself；　she　was　thinking　of

that　hour；　the　happiest　of　her　life；　in　which　she　had　taken　part；　when

she　had　herself　been　one　of　that　betrothed　pair；　such　hours　are

never　to　be　forgotten；　let　a　maiden　be　as　old　as　she　may。　But　she

did　not　recognize　the　bottle；　neither　did　the　bottle　notice　the　old

maid。　And　so　we　often　pass　each　other　in　the　world　when　we　meet；　as

did　these　two；　even　while　together　in　the　same　town。

　　　　The　bottle　was　taken　from　the　garden；　and　again　sent　to　a　wine

merchant；　where　it　was　once　more　filled　with　wine；　and　sold　to　an

aeronaut；　who　was　to　make　an　ascent　in　his　balloon　on　the　following

Sunday。　A　great　crowd　assembled　to　witness　the　sight；　military　music

had　been　engaged；　and　many　other　preparations　made。　The　bottle　saw

it　all　from　the　basket　in　which　he　lay　close　to　a　live　rabbit。　The

rabbit　was　quite　excited　because　he　knew　that　he　was　to　be　taken　up；

and　let　down　again　in　a　parachute。　The　bottle；　however；　knew　nothing

of　the　〃up；〃　or　the　〃down；〃　he　saw　only　that　the　balloon　was

swelling　larger　and　larger　till　it　could　swell　no　more；　and　began　to

rise　and　be　restless。　Then　the　ropes　which　held　it　were　cut　through；

and　the　aerial　ship　rose　in　the　air　with　the　aeronaut　and　the　basket

containing　the　bottle　and　the　rabbit；　while　the　music　sounded　and

all　the　people　shouted　〃Hurrah。〃

　　　　〃This　is　a　wonderful　journey　up　into　the　air；〃　thought　the　bottle；

〃it　is　a　new　way　of　sailing；　and　here；　at　least；　there　is　no　fear　of

striking　against　anything。〃

　　　　Thousands　of　people　gazed　at　the　balloon；　and　the　old　maid　who　was

in　the　garden　saw　it　also；　for　she　stood　at　the　open　window　of　the

garret；　by　which　hung　the　cage　containing　the　linnet；　who　then　had

no　water…glass；　but　was　obliged　to　be　contented　with　an　old　cup。　In

the　window…sill　stood　a　myrtle　in　a　pot；　and　this　had　been　pushed　a

little　on　one　side；　that　it　might　not　fall　out；　for　the　old　maid　was

leaning　out　of　the　window；　that　she　might　see。　And　she　did　see

distinctly　the　aeronaut　in　the　balloon；　and　how　he　let　down　the　rabbit

in　the　parachute；　and　then　drank　to　the　health　of　all　the　spectators

in　the　wine　from　the　bottle。　After　doing　this；　he　hurled　it　high

into　the　air。　How　little　she　thought　that　this　was　the　very　same

bottle　which　her　friend　had　thrown　aloft　in　her　honor；　on　that　happy

day　of　rejoicing；　in　the　green　wood；　in　her　youthful　days。　The

bottle　had　no　time　to　think；　when　raised　so　suddenly；　and　before　it

was　aware；　it　reached　the　highest　point　it　had　ever　attained　in　its

life。　Steeples　and　roofs　lay　far；　far　beneath　it；　and　the　people

looked　as　tiny　as　possible。　Then　it　began　to　descend　much　more　rapidly

than　the　rabbit　had　done；　made　somersaults　in　the　air；　and　felt　itself

quite　young　and　unfettered；　although　it　was　half　full　of　wine。　But

this　did　not　last　long。　What　a　journey　it　was！　All　the　people　could

see　the　bottle；　for　the　sun　shone　upon　it。　The　balloon　was　already　far

away；　and　very　soon　the　bottle　was　far　away　also；　for　it　fell　upon　a

roof；　and　broke　in　pieces。　But　the　pieces　had　got　such　an　impetus　in

them；　that　they　could　not　stop　themselves。　They　went　jumping　and

rolling　about；　till　at　last　they　fell　into　the　court…yard；　and　were

broken　into　still　smaller　pieces；　only　the　neck　of　the　bottle

managed　to　keep　whole；　and　it　was　broken　off　as　clean　as　if　it　had

been　cut　with　a　diamond。

　　　　〃That　would　make　a　capital　bird's　glass；〃　said　one　of　the

cellar…men；　but　none　of　them　had　either　a　bird　or　a　cage；　and　it　was

not　to　be　expected　they　would　provide　one　just　because　they　had

found　a　bottle　neck　that　could　be　used　as　a　glass。　But　the　old　maid

who　lived　in　the　garret　had　a　bird；　and　it　really　might　be　useful　to

her；　so　the　bottle　neck　was　provided　with　a　cork；　and　taken　up　to　her；

and；　as　it　often　happens　in　life；　the　part　that　had　been　uppermost　was

now　turned　downwards；　and　it　was　filled　with　fresh　water。　Then　they

hung　it　in　the　cage　of　the　little　bird；　who　sang　and　twittered　more

merrily　than　ever。

　　　　〃Ah；　you　have　good　reason　to　sing；〃　said　the　bottle　neck；　which

was　looked　upon　as　something　very　remarkable；　because　it　had　been　in　a

balloon；　nothing　further　was　known　of　its　history。　As　it　hung　there　in

the　bird's…cage；　it　could　hear　the　noise　and　murmur　of　the　people　in

the　street　below；　as　well　as　the　conversation　of　the　old　maid　in　the

room　within。　An　old　friend　had　just　come　to　visit　her；　and　they

talked；　not　about　the　bottle　neck；　but　of　the　myrtle　in　the　window。

　　　　〃No；　you　must　not　spend　a　dollar　for　your　daughter's　bridal

bouquet；〃　said　the　old　maid；　〃you　shall　have　a　beautiful　little

bunch　for　a　nosegay；　full　of　blossoms。　Do　you　see　how　splendidly　the

tree　has　grown？　It　has　been　raised　from　only　a　little　sprig　of

myrtle　that　you　gave　me　on　the　day　after　my　betrothal；　and　from

which　I　was　to　make　my　own　bridal　bouquet　when　a　year　had　passed：

but　that　day　never　came；　the　eyes　were　closed　which　were　to　have

been　my　light　and　joy　through　life。　In　the　depths　of　the　sea　my

beloved　sleeps　sweetly；　the　myrtle　has　become　an　old　tree；　and　I　am

a　still　older　woman。　Before　the　sprig　you　gave　me　faded；　I　took　a

spray；　and　planted　it　in　the　earth；　and　now；　as　you　see；　it　has　become

a　large　tree；　and　a　bunch　of　the　blossoms　shall　at　last　appear　at　a

wedding　festival；　in　the　bouquet　of　your　daughter。〃

　　　　There　were　tears　in　the　eyes　of　the　old　maid；　as　she　spoke　of

the　beloved　of　her　youth；　and　of　their　betrothal　in　the　wood。　Many

thoughts　came　into　her　mind；　but　the　thought　never　came；　that　quite

close　to　her；　in　that　very　window；　was　a　remembrance　of　those　olden

times；…　the　neck　of　the　bottle　which　had；　as　it　were　shouted　for　joy

when　the　cork　flew　out　with　a　bang　on　the　betrothal　day。　But　the

bottle　neck　did　not　recognize　the　old　maid；　he　had　not　been

listening　to　what　she　had　related；　perhaps　because　he　was　thinking

so　much　about　her。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

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