rms of mine, and
contemplate your victory from a safe coign of vantage.'

"Thus spoke Clara. But Nutcracker behaved so impatiently, and kicked so
with his legs, that Clara was obliged to put him down on the shelf in a
hurry. However, he at once sank gracefully on one knee, and expressed
himself as follows:

"'Oh, lady! the kind protection and aid which you have afforded me,
will ever be present to my heart, in battle and in victory!'

"On this, Clara bowed herself so as to be able to take hold of him by
his arms, raised him gently up, quickly loosed her girdle, which was
ornamented with many spangles, and would have placed it about his
shoulders. But the little man drew himself swiftly two steps back, laid
his hand upon his heart, and said, with much solemnity:

"Oh, lady! do not bestow this mark of your favour upon me; for----' He
hesitated, gave a deep sigh, took the ribbon, with which Marie had
bound him, from his shoulders, pressed it to his lips, put it on as a
cognizance for the fight, and, waving his glittering sword, sprang,
like a bird, over the ledge of the cupboard down to the floor.

"You will observe, kind reader, that Nutcracker, even before he really
came to life, had felt and understood all Marie's goodness and regard,
and that it was because of his gratitude and devotion to her, that he
would not take, or wear even, a ribbon of Miss Clara's, although it was
exceedingly pretty and charming. This good, true-hearted Nutcracker
preferred Marie's much commoner and more unpretending token.

"But what is going to happen, further, now? At the moment when
Nutcracker sprang down, the queaking and piping commenced again worse
than ever. Alas! under the big table, the hordes of the mouse army had
taken up a position, densely massed, under the command of the terrible
mouse with the seven heads. So what is to be the result?

"THE BATTLE.

"Beat the _Generale_, trusty vassal-drummer!' cried Nutcracker, very
loud; and immediately the drummer began to roll his drum in the most
splendid style, so that the windows of the glass cupboard rattled and
resounded. Then there began a cracking and a clattering inside, and
Marie saw all the lids of the boxes in which Fritz's army was quartered
bursting open, and the soldiers all came out and jumped down to the
bottom shelf, where they formed up in good order. Nutcracker hurried up
and down the ranks, speaking words of encouragement.

"'The