s, and
laugh most devilishly, when we could only express our indignation by
soft sobs. He always called us the little beasts, we dared not utter a
sound when he was present, and we heartily cursed the ugly, unkind man,
who deliberately marred our slightest pleasures. My mother seemed to
hate the repulsive Coppelius as much as we did, since as soon as he
showed himself her liveliness, her free and cheerful mind was changed
into a gloomy solemnity. My father conducted himself towards him, as
though he was a superior being, whose bad manners were to be tolerated,
and who was to be kept in good humour at any rate. He need only give
the slightest hint, and the favourite dishes were cooked, and the
choicest wines served.

When I now saw this Coppelius, the frightful and terrific thought took
possession of my soul, that indeed no one but he could be the Sandman.
But the Sandman was no longer that bugbear of a nurse's tale, who
provided the owl's nest in the half-moon with children's eyes,--no, he
was a hideous spectral monster, who, wherever he appeared, brought with
him grief, want, and destruction--temporal and eternal.

I was rivetted to the spot as if enchanted. At the risk of being
discovered, and as I plainly foresaw, of being severely punished, I
remained with my head peeping through the curtain. My father received
Coppelius with solemnity. "Now to our work!" cried the latter with a
harsh, grating voice, as he flung off his coat. My father silently and
gloomily drew off his night-gown, and both attired themselves in long
black frocks. Whence they took these, I did not see. My father opened
the door of what I had always thought to be a cupboard, but I now saw
that it was no cupboard, but rather a black hollow, in which there was
a little hearth. Coppelius entered, and a blue flame began to crackle
up on the hearth. All sorts of strange utensils lay around.
Heavens!--As my old father now stooped down to the fire, he looked
quite another man. A frightful convulsive pain seemed to have
distorted his mild reverend features into a hideous repulsive
diabolical countenance. He looked like Coppelius: the latter was
brandishing red hot tongs, and with them taking shining masses busily
out of the thick smoke, which he afterwards hammered. It seemed to me,
as if I saw human faces around without any eyes--but with deep holes
instead. "Eyes here, eyes!" said Coppelius in a dull roaring voice.
Overcome by the wildest