Second VisitIt was New Year's day, and I went up on the tower. Ole
spoke of the toasts that were drunk on the transition from the Old
Year into the New—from one grave into the other, as he said. And he
told me a story about the glasses, and this story had a very deep
meaning. It was this:
"When on the New Year's night the clock strikes twelve,
the people at the table rise up with full glasses in their hands,
and drain these glasses, and drink success to the New Year. They
begin the year with the glass in their hands; that is a good
beginning for drunkards. They begin the New Year by going to bed,
and that's a good beginning for drones. Sleep is sure to play a
great part in the New Year, and the glass likewise. Do you know
what dwells in the glass?" asked Ole. "I will tell you.
