s she had got up through
the arm-hole, and begun to look out at the neck, all at once a dazzling
light came streaming on to her, and she found herself standing on a
lovely, sweet-scented meadow, from which millions of sparks were
streaming upward, like the glitter of beautiful gems.

"This is Candy Mead, where we are now,' said Nutcracker. 'But we'll go
in at that gate there.'

"Marie looked up and saw a beautiful gateway on the meadow, only a few
steps off. It seemed to be made of white, brown, and raisin-coloured
marble; but when she came close to it she saw it was all of baked
sugar-almonds and raisins, which--as Nutcracker said when they were
going through it--was the reason it was called 'Almond and Raisin
Gate.' There was a gallery running round the upper part of it,
apparently made of barley-sugar, and in this gallery six monkeys,
dressed in red doublets, were playing on brass instruments in the most
delightful manner ever heard; so that it was all that Marie could do to
notice that she was walking along upon a beautiful variegated marble
pavement, which, however, was really a mosaic of lozenges of all
colours. Presently the sweetest of odours came breathing round her,
streaming from a beautiful little wood on both sides of the way. There
was such a glittering and sparkling among the dark foliage, that one
could see all the gold and silver fruits hanging on the many-tinted
stems, and these stems and branches were all ornamented and dressed up
in ribbons and bunches of flowers, like brides and bridegrooms, and
festive wedding guests. And as the orange perfume came wafted, as if on
the wings of gentle zephyrs, there was a soughing among the leaves and
branches, and all the goldleaf and tinsel rustled and tinkled like
beautiful music, to which the sparkling lights could not help dancing.

"'Oh, how charming this is!' cried Marie, enraptured.

"'This is Christmas Wood, dearest Miss Stahlbaum,' said Nutcracker,

"Ah!' said Marie, 'if I could only stay here for a little! Oh, it is so
lovely!'

"Nutcracker clapped his little hands, and immediately there appeared a
number of little shepherds and shepherdesses, and hunters and
huntresses, so white and delicate that you would have thought they were
made of pure sugar, whom Marie had not noticed before, although they
had been walking about in the wood: and they brought a beautiful gold
reclining chair, laid down a white satin cushion in it, and politely
invited Marie