CONTENTS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
CONNEXIONS

CHAPTER 13

A BALLISTIC WEAPON SPELLS THE END OF THE MUSIC TO A MAN ON THE FIDDLE'S ACCOMPLICE

3/8


‘All right,’ said Gregory. He cleared his throat. ‘Here goes:

A hundred thousand green bottles, hanging on the wall,
A hundred thousand green bottles, hanging on the wall,
And if one green bottle should accidentally fall,
There’d be ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine
green bottles, hanging on the wall,
Ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine green
bottles, hanging on the wall,
And if one green bottle should accidentally fall,
There’d be ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and
ninety-eight green bottles, hanging on the wall,
Ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-eight green
bottles, hanging on the wall,
And if one green bottle should accidentally fall,
There’d be ninety-nine thousand, nine…

...I don’t want to criticise,’ said another bowman, Henry of Abberford, as Gregory continued singing, ‘but doesn’t anyone else think this song is repetitive?’

‘I don’t know. I like the tune. Catchy, nice and easy to sing. And what an astonishing number of bottles. I think we should give him more time; it’s early days yet.’ said the sergeant.

... ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-six green
bottles, hanging on the wall,
Ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-six green
bottles, hanging on the wall,
And if one green bottle should accidentally fall,
There’d be ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-five
green bottles, hanging on the wall,
Ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-five green
bottles, hanging on the wall,
And if one green bottle should accidentally fall,
There’d be...

...As Gregory sang, the sun’s brilliant, blindingly white disc climbed higher up the intensely blue, utterly cloudless sky and the temperature rose to such an extent that it became a very hot day. One by one, the bowmen sat down on the greensward, and one by one they laid themselves out on it.