the bottle neck-第2章

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as　the　sun　rose　and　set；　the　bottle　felt　as　at　the　time　of　its　first

existence；　when　in　the　heated　glowing　stove　it　had　a　longing　to　fly

away。　It　outlived　the　storms　and　the　calm；　it　struck　against　no　rocks；

was　not　devoured　by　sharks；　but　drifted　on　for　more　than　a　year；

sometimes　towards　the　north；　sometimes　towards　the　south；　just　as

the　current　carried　it。　It　was　in　all　other　ways　its　own　master；　but

even　of　that　one　may　get　tired。　The　written　leaf；　the　last　farewell　of

the　bridegroom　to　his　bride；　would　only　bring　sorrow　when　once　it

reached　her　hands；　but　where　were　those　hands；　so　soft　and　delicate；

which　had　once　spread　the　table…cloth　on　the　fresh　grass　in　the

green　wood；　on　the　day　of　her　betrothal？　Ah；　yes！　where　was　the

furrier's　daughter？　and　where　was　the　land　which　might　lie　nearest

to　her　home？

　　　　The　bottle　knew　not；　it　travelled　onward　and　onward；　and　at　last

all　this　wandering　about　became　wearisome；　at　all　events　it　was　not

its　usual　occupation。　But　it　had　to　travel；　till　at　length　it

reached　land…　a　foreign　country。　Not　a　word　spoken　in　this　country

could　the　bottle　understand；　it　was　a　language　it　had　never　before

heard；　and　it　is　a　great　loss　not　to　be　able　to　understand　a　language。

The　bottle　was　fished　out　of　the　water；　and　examined　on　all　sides。　The

little　letter　contained　within　it　was　discovered；　taken　out；　and

turned　and　twisted　in　every　direction；　but　the　people　could　not

understand　what　was　written　upon　it。　They　could　be　quite　sure　that　the

bottle　had　been　thrown　overboard　from　a　vessel；　and　that　something

about　it　was　written　on　this　paper：　but　what　was　written？　that　was　the

question；…　so　the　paper　was　put　back　into　the　bottle；　and　then　both

were　put　away　in　a　large　cupboard　of　one　of　the　great　houses　of　the

town。　Whenever　any　strangers　arrived；　the　paper　was　taken　out　and

turned　over　and　over；　so　that　the　address；　which　was　only　written　in

pencil；　became　almost　illegible；　and　at　last　no　one　could

distinguish　any　letters　on　it　at　all。　For　a　whole　year　the　bottle

remained　standing　in　the　cupboard；　and　then　it　was　taken　up　to　the

loft；　where　it　soon　became　covered　with　dust　and　cobwebs。　Ah！　how

often　then　it　thought　of　those　better　days…　of　the　times　when　in　the

fresh；　green　wood；　it　had　poured　forth　rich　wine；　or；　while　rocked

by　the　swelling　waves；　it　had　carried　in　its　bosom　a　secret；　a　letter；

a　last　parting　sigh。　For　full　twenty　years　it　stood　in　the　loft；　and

it　might　have　stayed　there　longer　but　that　the　house　was　going　to　be

rebuilt。　The　bottle　was　discovered　when　the　roof　was　taken　off；　they

talked　about　it；　but　the　bottle　did　not　understand　what　they　said…　a

language　is　not　to　be　learnt　by　living　in　a　loft；　even　for　twenty

years。　〃If　I　had　been　down　stairs　in　the　room；〃　thought　the　bottle；　〃I

might　have　learnt　it。〃　It　was　now　washed　and　rinsed；　which　process　was

really　quite　necessary；　and　afterwards　it　looked　clean　and

transparent；　and　felt　young　again　in　its　old　age；　but　the　paper

which　it　had　carried　so　faithfully　was　destroyed　in　the　washing。

They　filled　the　bottle　with　seeds；　though　it　scarcely　knew　what　had

been　placed　in　it。　Then　they　corked　it　down　tightly；　and　carefully

wrapped　it　up。　There　not　even　the　light　of　a　torch　or　lantern　could

reach　it；　much　less　the　brightness　of　the　sun　or　moon。　〃And　yet；〃

thought　the　bottle；　〃men　go　on　a　journey　that　they　may　see　as　much

as　possible；　and　I　can　see　nothing。〃　However；　it　did　something　quite

as　important；　it　travelled　to　the　place　of　its　destination；　and　was

unpacked。

　　　　〃What　trouble　they　have　taken　with　that　bottle　over　yonder！〃

said　one；　and　very　likely　it　is　broken　after　all。〃　But　the　bottle

was　not　broken；　and；　better　still；　it　understood　every　word　that　was

said：　this　language　it　had　heard　at　the　furnaces　and　at　the　wine

merchant's；　in　the　forest　and　on　the　ship；…　it　was　the　only　good　old

language　it　could　understand。　It　had　returned　home；　and　the　language

was　as　a　welcome　greeting。　For　very　joy；　it　felt　ready　to　jump　out

of　people's　hands；　and　scarcely　noticed　that　its　cork　had　been

drawn；　and　its　contents　emptied　out；　till　it　found　itself　carried　to　a

cellar；　to　be　left　there　and　forgotten。　〃There's　no　place　like　home；

even　if　it's　a　cellar。〃　It　never　occurred　to　him　to　think　that　he

might　lie　there　for　years；　he　felt　so　comfortable。　For　many　long　years

he　remained　in　the　cellar；　till　at　last　some　people　came　to　carry　away

the　bottles；　and　ours　amongst　the　number。

　　　　Out　in　the　garden　there　was　a　great　festival。　Brilliant　lamps　hung

in　festoons　from　tree　to　tree；　and　paper　lanterns；　through　which　the

light　shone　till　they　looked　like　transparent　tulips。　It　was　a

beautiful　evening；　and　the　weather　mild　and　clear。　The　stars　twinkled；

and　the　new　moon；　in　the　form　of　a　crescent；　was　surrounded　by　the

shadowy　disc　of　the　whole　moon；　and　looked　like　a　gray　globe　with　a

golden　rim：　it　was　a　beautiful　sight　for　those　who　had　good　eyes。

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

tre