with its comrades in the wine merchant's cellar, and was washed
for the first time. That was a funny sensation. After that it lay
empty and uncorked, and felt so very listless; it wanted something,
but did not know what it wanted. At length it was filled with an
excellent, superior wine, and, when corked and sealed, a label was
stuck on it outside with the words, "Best quality." It was as if it
had taken its first academic degree. But the wine was good, and the
bottle was good. The young are fond of music, and much singing went on
in it, the songs being on themes about which it scarcely knew
anything--the green sunlit hills where the wine grapes grew, where
beautiful girls and handsome swains met, and danced, and sang, and
loved. Ah! there it is delightful to dwell. And all this was made into
songs in the bottle, as it is made into songs by young poets, who also
frequently know nothing at all about the subjects they choose.

One morning it was bought. The furrier's boy was ordered to purchase a
bottle of the best wine, and this one was carried away in a basket,
with ham, cheese, and sausage; there were also the nicest butter and
the finest bread. The furrier's daughter herself packed the basket.
She was so young, so pretty! Her brown eyes laughed, and the smile on
her sweet mouth was almost as expressive as her eyes. She had
beautiful soft hands--they were so white; yet her throat and neck were
still whiter. It could be seen at once that she was one of the
prettiest girls in the neighbourhood, and, strange to say, not yet
engaged.

The basket of provisions was placed in her lap when the family drove
out to the wood. The neck of the bottle stuck out above the parts of
the white napkins that were visible. There was red wax on its cork,
and it looked straight into the eyes of the pretty girl, and also into
those of the young sailor--the mate of a ship--who sat beside her. He
was the son of a portrait painter, and had just passed a first-rate
examination for mate, and was to go on board his vessel the next day
to sail for far-distant countries. Much was said about his voyage
during the drive; and when _it_ was spoken of, there was not exactly
an expression of joy in the eyes and about the mouth of the furrier's
daughter.

The two young people wandered away into the green wood. They were in
earnest conversation. Of what were they speaking? The bottle did not
hear that, for it was still standing in the basket of provisions