r as quickly as possible. There
stood Nutcracker, with his sword, all covered with blood, in his right
hand, and a little wax taper in his left. When he saw Marie he knelt
down on one knee, and said:

"'It was you, and you only, dearest lady, who inspired me with knightly
valour, and steeled me with strength to do battle with the insolent
caitiff who dared to insult you. The treacherous king of the mice lies
vanquished and writhing in his gore! Deign, lady, to accept these
tokens of victory from the hand of him who is, till death, your true
and faithful knight.'

"With this Nutcracker took from his left arm the seven crowns of the
mouse king, which he had ranged upon it, and handed them to Marie, who
received them with the keenest pleasure. Nutcracker rose, and continued
as follows:

"Oh! my best beloved Miss Stahlbaum, if you would only take the trouble
to follow me for a few steps, what glorious and beautiful things I
could show you, at this supreme moment when I have overcome my
hereditary foe! Do--do come with me, dearest lady!'

"TOYLAND.

"I feel quite convinced, children, that none of you would have
hesitated for a moment to go with good, kind Nutcracker, who had always
shown himself to be such a charming person, and Marie was all the more
disposed to do as he asked her, because she knew what her just claims
on his gratitude were, and was sure that he would keep his word, and
show her all sorts of beautiful things. So she said:

"'I will go with you, dear Mr. Drosselmeier; but it mustn't be very
far, and it won't do to be very long, because, you know, I haven't had
any sleep yet.'

"'Then we will go by the shortest route,' said Nutcracker, 'although it
is, perhaps, rather the most difficult.'

"He went on in front, followed by Marie, till he stopped before the big
old wardrobe. Marie was surprised to see that, though it was generally
shut, the doors of it were now wide open, so that she could see her
father's travelling cloak of fox-fur hanging in the front. Nutcracker
clambered deftly up this cloak, by the edgings and trimmings of it, so
as to get hold of the big tassel which was fastened at the back of it
by a thick cord. He gave this tassel a tug, and a pretty little ladder
of cedar-wood let itself quickly down through one of the arm-holes of
the cloak.

"'Now, Miss Stahlbaum, step up that ladder, if you will be so kind,'
said Nutcracker. Marie did so. But as soon a