Chapter 11
The Bottle NeckCLOSE to the corner of a street, among other abodes of
poverty, stood an exceedingly tall, narrow house, which had been so
knocked about by time that it seemed out of joint in every
direction. This house was inhabited by poor people, but the deepest
poverty was apparent in the garret lodging in the gable. In front
of the little window, an old bent bird-cage hung in the sunshine,
which had not even a proper water-glass, but instead of it the
broken neck of a bottle, turned upside down, and a cork stuck in to
make it hold the water with which it was filled. An old maid stood
at the window; she had hung chickweed over the cage, and the little
linnet which it contained hopped from perch to perch and sang and
twittered merrily.
"Yes, it's all very well for
