the bottle neck-第3部分

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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

。