76 THE HISTORY OF A NUT-CRACKER.

Therefore, my dear young lady, if you still possess the same
sentiments in respect to myself, do me the favour to bestow
your much-loved hand upon me, share my throne and my
crown, and reign with me over the Kingdom of Toys, of
which I have ere now become the king.”

Then Mary raised young Drosselmayer gently, and said,
‘You are an amiable and a good king, sir; and as you
have moreover a charming kingdom, adorned with magni-
ficent palaces, and possessing a very happy people, I receive
you as my future husband, provided my parents give their
consent.”

Thereupon, as the door of the room had opened very
gently without the two young folks having heard it, so
occupied were they with their own sentiments, the judge,
his wife, and Godpapa
Drosselmayer came for- ’
ward, crying “‘ Bravo !”
with all their might;
which made Mary as
. red asa cherry. But
the young man was
not abashed ; and, ad-
vancing towards the
judge and his wife, he
bowed gracefully to
: them, paid them a
handsome compliment, and ended by soliciting the hand of
Mary in marriage. The request was immediately granted.

That same day Mary was engaged to Nathaniel Drossel-
mayer, on condition that the marriage should not take place
for a year.

At the expiration of the year, the bridegroom came to
fetch the bride in a little carriage of mother of pearl in-
crusted with gold and silver, and drawn by ponies of the
size of sheep, but which were of countless worth, because
there were none others like them in the world. The young.