安徒生童话-第56章

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g　now　if　I　were　ever　so　happy；　but　when　I　was　a　whole　bottle；　andthey　rubbed　me　with　a　cork；　didn't　I　sing　then？　I　used　to　be　calleda　plete　lark。　I　remember　when　I　went　out　to　a　picnic　with　thefurrier's　family；　on　the　day　his　daughter　was　betrothed；…　it　seemsas　if　it　only　happened　yesterday。　I　have　gone　through　a　great　dealin　my　time；　when　I　e　to　recollect：　I　have　been　in　the　fire　and　inthe　water；　I　have　been　deep　in　the　earth；　and　have　mounted　higher　inthe　air　than　most　other　people；　and　now　I　am　swinging　here；　outsidea　bird…cage；　in　the　air　and　the　sunshine。　Oh；　indeed；　it　would　beworth　while　to　hear　my　history；　but　I　do　not　speak　it　aloud；　for　agood　reason…　because　I　cannot。〃

Then　the　bottle　neck　related　his　history；　which　was　reallyrather　remarkable；　he；　in　fact；　related　it　to　himself；　or；　at　least；thought　it　in　his　own　mind。　The　little　bird　sang　his　own　song　merrily；in　the　street　below　there　was　driving　and　running　to　and　fro；　everyone　thought　of　his　own　affairs；　or　perhaps　of　nothing　at　all；　butthe　bottle　neck　thought　deeply。　He　thought　of　the　blazing　furnace　inthe　factory；　where　he　had　been　blown　into　life；　he　remembered　howhot　it　felt　when　he　was　placed　in　the　heated　oven；　the　home　from　whichhe　sprang；　and　that　he　had　a　strong　inclination　to　leap　out　againdirectly；　but　after　a　while　it　became　cooler；　and　he　found　himselfvery　fortable。　He　had　been　placed　in　a　row；　with　a　whole　regimentof　his　brothers　and　sisters　all　brought　out　of　the　same　furnace；some　of　them　had　certainly　been　blown　into　champagne　bottles；　andothers　into　beer　bottles；　which　made　a　little　difference　between　them。In　the　world　it　often　happens　that　a　beer　bottle　may　contain　themost　precious　wine；　and　a　champagne　bottle　be　filled　with　blacking；but　even　in　decay　it　may　always　be　seen　whether　a　man　has　been　wellborn。　Nobility　remains　noble；　as　a　champagne　bottle　remains　thesame；　even　with　blacking　in　its　interior。　When　the　bottles　were　packedour　bottle　was　packed　amongst　them；　it　little　expected　then　tofinish　its　career　as　a　bottle　neck；　or　to　be　used　as　a　water…glassto　a　bird's…cage；　which　is；　after　all；　a　place　of　honor；　for　it　isto　be　of　some　use　in　the　world。　The　bottle　did　not　behold　the　light　ofday　again；　until　it　was　unpacked　with　the　rest　in　the　winemerchant's　cellar；　and；　for　the　first　time；　rinsed　with　water；　whichcaused　some　very　curious　sensations。　There　it　lay　empty；　and　without　acork；　and　it　had　a　peculiar　feeling；　as　if　it　wanted　something　it　knewnot　what。　At　last　it　was　filled　with　rich　and　costly　wine；　a　corkwas　placed　in　it；　and　sealed　down。　Then　it　was　labelled　〃firstquality；〃　as　if　it　had　carried　off　the　first　prize　at　anexamination；　besides；　the　wine　and　the　bottle　were　both　good；　andwhile　we　are　young　is　the　time　for　poetry。　There　were　sounds　of　songwithin　the　bottle；　of　things　it　could　not　understand；　of　green　sunnymountains；　where　the　vines　grow　and　where　the　merry　vine…dresserslaugh；　sing；　and　are　merry。　〃Ah；　how　beautiful　is　life。〃　All　thesetones　of　joy　and　song　in　the　bottle　were　like　the　working　of　a　youngpoet's　brain；　who　often　knows　not　the　meaning　of　the　tones　which　aresounding　within　him。　One　morning　the　bottle　found　a　purchaser　in　thefurrier's　apprentice；　who　was　told　to　bring　one　of　the　best　bottles　ofwine。　It　was　placed　in　the　provision　basket　with　ham　and　cheese　andsausages。　The　sweetest　fresh　butter　and　the　finest　bread　were　put　intothe　basket　by　the　furrier's　daughter　herself；　for　she　packed　it。　Shewas　young　and　pretty；　her　brown　eyes　laughed；　and　a　smile　lingeredround　her　mouth　as　sweet　as　that　in　her　eyes。　She　had　delicatehands；　beautifully　white；　and　her　neck　was　whiter　still。　It　couldeasily　be　seen　that　she　was　a　very　lovely　girl；　and　as　yet　she　was　notengaged。　The　provision　basket　lay　in　the　lap　of　the　young　girl　asthe　family　drove　out　to　the　forest；　and　the　neck　of　the　bottlepeeped　out　from　between　the　folds　of　the　white　napkin。　There　was　thered　wax　on　the　cork；　and　the　bottle　looked　straight　at　the　younggirl's　face；　and　also　at　the　face　of　the　young　sailor　who　sat　nearher。　He　was　a　young　friend；　the　son　of　a　portrait　painter。　He　hadlately　passed　his　examination　with　honor；　as　mate；　and　the　nextmorning　he　was　to　sail　in　his　ship　to　a　distant　coast。　There　hadbeen　a　great　deal　of　talk　on　this　subject　while　the　basket　was　beingpacked；　and　during　this　conversation　the　eyes　and　the　mouth　of　thefurrier's　daughter　did　not　wear　a　very　joyful　expression。　The　youngpeople　wandered　away　into　the　green　wood；　and　talked　together。　Whatdid　they　talk　about？　The　bottle　could　not　say；　for　he　was　in　theprovision　basket。　It　remained　there　a　long　time；　but　when　at　last　itwas　brought　forth　it　appeared　as　if　something　pleasant　had　happened；for　every　one　was　laughing；　the　furrier's　daughter　laughed　too；　butshe　said　very　little；　and　her　cheeks　were　like　two　roses。　Then　herfather　took　the　bottle　and　the　cork…screw　into　his　hands。　What　astrange　sensation　it　was　to　have　the　cork　drawn　for　the　first　time！The　bottle　could　never　after　that　forget　the　performance　of　thatmoment；　indeed　there　was　quite　a　convulsion　within　him　as　the　corkflew　out；　and　a　gurgling　sound　as　the　wine　was　poured　forth　into　theglasses。

〃Long　life　to　the　betrothed；〃　cried　the　papa；　and　every　glasswas　emptied　to　the　dregs；　while　the　young　sailor　kissed　hisbeautiful　bride。

〃Happiness　and　blessing　to　you　both；〃　said　the　old　people…fatherand　mother；　and　the　young　man　filled　the　glasses　again。

〃Safe　return；　and　a　wedding　this　day　next　year；〃　he　cried；　andwhen　the　glasses　were　empty　he　took　the　bottle；　raised　it　on　high；　andsaid；　〃Thou　hast　been　present　here　on　the　happiest　day　of　my　life；thou　shalt　never　be　used　by　others！〃　So　saying；　he　hurled　it　high　inthe　air。

The　furrier's　daughter　thought　she　should　never　see　it　again；but　she　was　mistaken。　It　fell　among　the　rushes　on　the　borders　of　alittle　woodland　lake。　The　bottle　neck　remembered　well　how　long　itlay　there　unseen。　〃I　gave　them　wine；　and　they　gave　me　muddy　water；〃　hehad　said　to　himself；　〃but　I　suppose　it　was　all　well　meant。〃　He　couldno　longer　see　the　betrothed　couple；　nor　the　cheerful　old　people；　butfor　a　long　time　he　could　hear　them　rejoicing　and　singing。　At　lengththere　came　by　two　peasant　boys；　who　peeped　in　among　the　reeds　andspied　out　the　bottle。　Then　they　took　it　up　and　carried　it　home　withthem；　so　that　once　more　it　was　provided　for。　At　home　in　their　woodencottage　these　boys　had　an　elder　brother；　a　sailor；　who　was　about　tostart　on　a　long　voyage。　He　had　been　there　the　day　before　to　sayfarewell；　and　his　mother　was　now　very　busy　packing　up　various　thingsfor　him　to　take　with　him　on　his　voyage。　In　the　evening　his　fatherwas　going　to　carry　the　parcel　to　the　town　to　see　his　son　once　more；and　take　him　a　farewell　greeting　from　his　mother。　A　small　bottle　hadalready　been　filled　with　herb　tea；　mixed　with　brandy；　and　wrapped　in　aparcel；　but　when　the　boys　came　in　they　brought　with　them　a　largerand　stronger　bottle；　which　they　had　found。　This　bottle　would　hold　somuch　more　than　the　little　one；　and　they　all　said　the　brandy　would　beso　good　for　plaints　of　the　stomach；　especially　as　it　was　mixed　withmedical　herbs。　The　liquid　which　they　now　poured　into　the　bottle　wasnot　like　the　red　wine　with　which　it　had　once　been　filled；　these　werebitter　drops；　but　they　are　of　great　use　sometimes…for　the　stomach。　Thenew　large　bottle　was　to　go；　not　the　little　one：　so　the　bottle　oncemore　started　on　its　travels。　It　was　taken　on　board　（for　Peter　Jensenwas　one　of　the　crew）　the　very　same　ship　in　which　the　young　mate　was　tosail。　But　the　mate　did　not　see　the　bottle：　indeed；　if　he　had　hewould　not　have　known　it；　or　supposed　it　was　the　one　out　of　whichthey　had　drunk　to　the　felicity　of　the　betrothed　and　to　the　prospect　ofa　marriage　on　his　own　happy　return。　Certainly　the　bottle　no　longerpoured　forth　wine；　but　it　contained　something　quite　as　good；　and　so　ithappened　that　whenever　Peter　Jensen　brought　it　out；　his　messmates　gaveit　the　name　of　〃the　apothecary；〃　for　it　contained　the　best　medicine　tocure　the　stomach；　and　he　gave　it　out　quite　willingly　as　long　as　a　dropremained。　Those　were　happy　days；　and　the　bottle　would　sing　when　rubbedwith　a　cork；　and　it　was　called　a　great　lark；〃　〃Peter　Jensen's　lark。〃

Long　days　and　months　rolled　by；　during　which　the　bottle　stoodempty　in　a　corner；　when　a　storm　arose…　whether　on　the　passage　out　orhome　it　could　not　tell；　for　it　had　never　been　ashore。　It　was　aterrible　storm；　great　waves　arose；　darkly　heaving　and　tossing　thevessel　to　and　fro。　The　main　mast　was　split　asunder；　the　ship　spranga　leak；　and　the　pumps　became　useless；　while　all　around　was　black　asnight。　At　the　last　moment；　when　the　ship　was　sinking；　the　young　matewrote　on　a　piece　of　paper；　〃We　are　going　down：　God's　will　be　done。〃Then　he　wrote　the　name　of　his　betrothed；　his　own　name；　and　that　of　theship。　Then　he　put　the　leaf　in　an　empty　bottle　that　happened　to　be　athand；　corked　it　down　tightly；　and　threw　it　into　the　foaming　sea。　Heknew　not　that　it　was　the　very　same　bottle　from　which　the　goblet　of　joyand　hope　had　once　been　filled　for　him；　and　now　it　was　tossing　on　thewaves　with　his　last　greeting；　and　a　message　from　the　dead。　The　shipsank；　and　the　crew　sank　with　her；　but　the　bottle　flew　on　like　abird；　for　it　bore　within　it　a　loving　letter　from　a　loving　heart。　Andas　the　sun　rose　and