14 . THE HISTORY OF A NUT-CRACKER.

But the queen, on her side, hastened to kneel by
the side of Master Drosselmayer, and begged her august
husband to remem-
ber that by cut-
ting off the head
of the mechanician
he would be losing
even that ray of
hope which remain-
ed to them during
his lifetime ; that
the chances were
that he who had dis-
covered the horo-
scope would also
find the nut and the
nut-cracker ; that
they ought to be-
lieve the more firmly
in the present prediction of the astronomer, inasmuch as
nothing which he had hitherto prophesied had ever come
to pass, but that it was evident his presages must be fulfilled
some day or another, inasmuch as the king had named him
his grand prophet ; and that, as the princess was not yet of
an age to marry (she being now only three months old), and
would not even be marriageable until she was fifteen, there
was consequently a period of fourteen years and nine months
during which Master Drosselmayer and the astrologer might
search after the Crackatook nut and the young man who
was to break it. The queen therefore suggested that a re-
prieve might be awarded to Christian Elias Drosselmayer, at
the expiration of which he should return to surrender him-
self into the king’s power, whether he had found the means
of curing the princess, or not ; and either to be generously
rewarded, or put to death without mercy.

‘The king, who was a very just man, and who on that