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第3节

the bottle neck-第3节

小说: the bottle neck 字数: 每页4000字

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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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