THE HISTORY OF A NUT-CRACKER. 71

spite ofthe prayers of Fritz,. he

would:not let him. touch one of

them.

The judge and his wife then
_... pressed Mary to tell them whence
= came those little crowns;. but she
could only persist:in what she had
said already : and when her father,
annoyed at what he heard and at

; what he considered obstinacy on
her part, called her a little'‘‘story-teller,” she burst into tears,
exclaiming, “‘ Alas! unfortunate child that Iam! what, would
you have me’ tell you?”

At that moment:the door opened, and the doctor made
his appearance.

‘What is the matter?” he said, ‘‘ and what have they
done to my little god-daughter, that she cries and sobs like
this?) What isit? whatis it all?”

The judge acquainted Doctor Drosselmayer with all that
had’ occurred’; and, when the story was ended, he showed
him: the seven. crowns. But scarcely had the doctor seen
them, when he burst out laughing, and said, ‘‘ Well ! really
this is too' good! These are the seven crowns that I used to
wear to my watch-chain some years ago, and which I gave
to my god-daughter on the occasion of her second birth-day.
Do you not remember, my dear friend ?”

But the judge and his wife could not recollect anything
about the present stated to have been given. Nevertheless,
believing what the godfather said, their countenances became
more calm. Mary, upon seeing this, ran up to Doctor Dros-
selmayer, saying, “ But you know all, godpapa! confess that
the Nut-cracker is your nephew, and that:it was he who gave
me the seven crowns.”

But Godfather Drosselmayer did not at all seem to like
these words; and his face became so gloomy, that the judge
called little Mary to him, and taking her upon his knees,