askedole."iwilltellyou.theredwellintheglass,first,health,andthenpleasure,thenthemostcompletesensualdelight;andmisfortuneandthebitterestwoedwellintheglassalso.now,supposewecounttheglasses-ofcourseicountthedifferentdegreesintheglassesfordifferentpeople.

"yousee,thefirstglass,that'stheglassofhealth,andinthattheherbofhealthisfoundgrowing.putituponthebeamintheceiling,andattheendoftheyearyoumaybesittinginthearborofhealth.

"ifyoutakethesecondglass-fromthisalittlebirdsoarsupward,twitteringinguilelesscheerfulness,sothatamanmaylistentohissong,andperhapsjoinin'fairislife!nodowncastlooks!takecourage,andmarchonward!'

"outofthethirdglassrisesalittlewingedurchin,whocannotcertainlybecalledanangelchild,forthereisgoblinbloodinhisveins,andhehasthespiritofagoblin-notwishingtohurtorharmyou,indeed,butveryreadytoplayofftricksuponyou.he'llsitatyourearandwhispermerrythoughtstoyou;he'llcreepintoyourheartandwarmyou,sothatyougrowverymerry,andbecomeawit,sofarasthewitsoftheotherscanjudge.

"inthefourthglassisneitherherb,bird,norurchin.inthatglassisthepausedrawnbyreason,andonemaynevergobeyondthatsign.

"takethefifthglass,andyouwillweepatyourself,youwillfeelsuchadeepemotion;oritwillaffectyouinadifferentutoftheglasstherewillspringwithabangprincecarnival,ninetimesandextravagantlymerry.he'lldrawyouawaywithhim;you'llforgetyourdignity,ifyouhaveany,andyou'llforgetmorethanyoushouldoroughttoforget.allisdance,songandsound:themaskswillcarryyouawaywiththem,andthedaughtersofvanity,cladinsilkandsatin,willcomewithloosehairandalluringcharms;buttearyourselfawayifyoucan!

"thesixthglass!yes,inthatglasssitsademon,intheformofalittle,welldressed,attractiveandveryfascinatingman,whothoroughlyunderstandsyou,agreeswithyouineverything,andbecomesquiteasecondselftoyou.hehasalanternwithhim,togiveyoulightasheaccompaniesyouhome.thereisanoldlegendaboutasaintwhowasallowedtochooseoneofthesevendeadlysins,andwhoaccordinglychosedrunkenness,whichappearedtohimtheleast,butwhichledhimtocommitalltheothersix.theman'sbloodismingledwiththatofthedemon.itisthesixthglass,andwiththatthegermofallevilshootsupwithinus;andeachonegrowsupwithastrengthlikethatofthegrainsofmustard-seed,andshootsupintoatree,andspreadsoverthewholeworld:andmostpeoplehavenochoicebuttogointotheoven,tobere-castinanewform.

"that'sthehistoryoftheglasses,"saidthetower-keeperole,"anditcanbetoldwithlacqueroronlywithgrease;butigiveityouwithboth!"

thirdvisit

onthisoccasionichosethegeneral"moving-day"formyvisittoole,foronthatdayitisanythingbutagreeabledowninthestreetsinthetown;fortheyarefullofsweepings,shreds,andremnantsofallsorts,tosaynothingofthecast-offrubbishinwhichonehastowadeabout.butthistimeihappenedtoseetwochildrenplayinginthiswildernessofsweepings.theywereplayingat"goingtobed,"fortheoccasionseemedespeciallyfavorableforthissport.theycreptunderthestraw,anddrewanoldbitofraggedcurtainoverthemselvesbywayofcoverlet."itwassplendid!"