64 THE HISTORY OF A. NUT-CRACKER.

Jews, Greeks, Tyrolese, officers, soldiers, clergymen, monks,
shepherds, punches, and all kinds of funny people, such as
one meets with in the world..

 

   

Presently the tumult redoubled atthe entrance of a street
looking upon the great square; and the people stood aside
to allow the cavalcade to pass. It was the Great Mogul, who
was carried upon a palanquin, attended by ninety-three lords
of his kingdom and.seven hundred slaves: but, at the same
time, it happened that: from the opposite street the Grand
Sultan appeared on horseback, followed by three hundred
janissaries. The two sovereigns had always been rivals, and
therefore enemies; and this feeling made it impossible for
their attendants to meet each other without quarrelling. It
was even much worse, as you may well suppose, when those
two powerful monarchs found themselves face to face: in the
first place there was a great confusion, from the midst of
which the citizens sought to save themselves; but cries of
fury and despair were soon heard, for a gardener, in the act
of running away, had: knocked off the head of a Brahmin,
greatly respected by his own class; and the Grand Sultan's
horse had knocked down a frightened punch, who endea-
voured to creep between the animal’s legs to get away from
the riot. The din was increasing, when the gentleman in the
gold brocade dressing-gown, who had saluted the Nut-cracker
by the title of ‘‘ Prince” at the gate of the city; leapt to the
top of the huge cake with a single bound; and having rung
a silvery sweet-toned bell three times, cried out three times,
‘Confectioner ! confectioner! confectioner |”