o were in her service,
etc., etc.

"During all this it seemed to Marie as if what Nutcracker was
saying--and even the sound of her own mortar--kept growing more and
more indistinct, and going farther and farther away. Presently she saw
a silver mistiness rising up all about, like clouds, in which the
princesses, the pages, Nutcracker, and she herself were floating. And a
curious singing and a buzzing and humming began, which seemed to die
away in the distance; and then she seemed to be going up--up--up, as if
on waves constantly rising and swelling higher and higher, higher and
higher, higher and higher.

"CONCLUSION.

"And then came a 'prr-poof,' and Marie fell down from some
inconceivable height.

"That was a crash and a tumble!

"However, she opened her eyes, and, lo and behold, there she was in her
own bed! It was broad daylight, and her mother was standing at her
bedside, saying:

"'Well, what a sleep you have had! Breakfast has been ready for ever so
long.'

"Of course, dear audience, you see how it was. Marie, confounded and
amazed by all the wonderful things she had seen, had fallen asleep at
last in Marchpane Castle, and the negroes or the pages, or perhaps the
princesses themselves, had carried her home and put her to bed.

"'Oh, mother darling,' said Marie, what a number of places young Mr.
Drosselmeier has taken me to in the night, and what beautiful things I
have seen!' And she gave very much the same faithful account of it all
as I have done to you.

"Her mother listened, looking at her with much astonishment, and, when
she had finished, said:

"'You have had a long, beautiful dream, Marie; but now you must put it
all out of your head.'

"Marie firmly maintained that she had not been dreaming at all; so her
mother took her to the glass cupboard, lifted out Nutcracker from his
usual position on the third shelf, and said:

"'You silly girl, how can you believe that this wooden figure can have
life and motion?'

"'Ah, mother,' answered Marie, 'I know perfectly well that Nutcracker
is young Mr. Drosselmeier from Nuernberg, Godpapa Drosselmeier's
nephew.'

"Her father and mother both burst out into ringing laughter.

"'It's all very well your laughing at poor Nutcracker, father,' cried
Mary, almost weeping; 'but he spoke very highly of _you_; for when we
arrived at Marchpane Castle, and he was introducing me to his sisters,
the princesses, he said you were a