THE HISTORY OF A: NUT-CRAOKER.. 24

He then inquired of him what:
had kept him so long absent from
his native city, and in what coun--
try he had left his hair, his eye,
and the missing pieces of' his coat..

Christian Elias Drosselmayer
had no motive to keep secret from
his brother the events which had
occurred. He began by introdu--
cing his companion in misfortune;
and, this formal usage having been
performed, he related his adven--
tures from A to Z, ending them
by saying that he had only a few.
hours to stay with his brother,
because, not having found the
Crackatook nut, he was on the
point of being shut up in a dun-
geon for ever.

While Christian Elias was telling his story,.Christopher
Zacharias had more than once twiddled his finger and thumb,
turned round upon one leg, and made a certain knowing
noise with his tongue. Under-any. other circumstances, the
mechanician would have demanded of him what those signs
meant; but he was so full of thought, that:he saw nothing;
and it was only when his brother exclaimed, ‘‘ Hem! hem!”
twice, and **Oh! oh! oh!” three times, that he asked the
reason of those expressions.

“The reason is,” said Christopher Zacharias;.‘‘ that it
would be strange indeed if — but,.no—andiyet—” = +

“What do you mean ?” cried the mechanician.

“‘ Tf—” continued the toy merchant.

“Tf what?” again said Master Drosselmayer.

But instead of giving any answer, Christopher Zacharias,
who, during those short questions and answers, had no doubt
collected his thoughts, threw his wig up into the air, and

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