THE. HISTORY OF A NUT-CRACKER. 43

commanded by that. monster with seven heads, fear seized
upon her, and her heart began to beat so violently, that it
seemed as if it would burst from her chest. Her blood ap-
peared to freeze in her veins, her breath failed her; and, half
fainting, she retreated with trembling steps. At length—
pir-r-r-r-r ! and the pieces of one of the panes in the cupboard,
broken by her. elbow which knocked against it, fell upon the
floor. She felt at the moment an
acute pain in the left arm; but at the
same time her. heart grew lighter, for
she no longer heard that squeaking
which had so much frightened her.
Indeed, everything had again become
quiet around her ;. the mice had dis-
appeared ; and she thought that, ter-
rified by the noise of the glass
which was broken, they had sought
refuge in their holes.
But almost immediately afterwards
a strange noise commenced in the cupboard; and numerous
little sharp voices exclaimed, ‘‘To arms! to arms! to arms!”
At the same time the music of Godfather Drosselmayer’s
country-house, which had been placed upon the top shelf of
the cupboard, began to play; and on all sides she heard the
words, ‘ Quick! rise to arms! to arms!”

Mary turned round. The cupboard was lighted up in a
wondrous manner, and all was bustle within. All the har-
lequins, the clowns, the punches, and the other puppets
scampered about; while the dolls set to work to make lint
and prepare bandages for the wounded. At length the Nut-
cracker himself threw off all the clothes, and jumped off the
bed, crying, ‘“ Foolish troop of mice! return to your holes,
or you must encounter me!”

But at that menace a loud whistling echoed through the
room; and Mary perceived that the mice had not returned
to their holes; but that, frightened by the noise of the broken