e been already mentioned. Even when Nathaniel, in clear and sober
moments, as for instance, when he had just woke in the morning,
remembered Olympia's utter passivity, and her paucity and scarcity of
words, he said: "Words, words! The glance of her heavenly eye speaks
more than any language here below. Can a child of heaven adapt herself
to the narrow circle which a miserable earthly necessity has drawn?"
Professor Spalanzani appeared highly delighted at the intimacy of his
daughter with Nathaniel. To the latter he gave the most unequivocal
signs of approbation, and when Nathaniel ventured at last to hint at an
union with Olympia, he smiled with his white face, and thought "he
would leave his daughter a free choice in the matter." Encouraged by
these words, and with burning passion in his heart, Nathaniel resolved
to implore Olympia on the very next day, that she would say directly,
in plain words, that which her kind glance had told him long ago;
namely, that she loved him. He sought the ring which his mother had
given him at parting, that he might give it to Olympia as a symbol of
his devotion, of his life which budded forth and bloomed with her
alone. Clara's letters and Lothaire's came into his hands during the
search; but he flung them aside indifferently, found the ring, put it
up and hastened over to Olympia. Already on the steps, in the hall he
heard a strange noise, which seemed to proceed from Spalanzani's room.
There was a stamping, a clattering, a pushing, a hurling against the
door, intermingled with curses and imprecations. "Let go, let go,
rascal!--scoundrel! Body and soul ventured in it? Ha, ha, ha! that I
never will consent to--I, I made the eyes, I the clockwork--stupid
blockhead with your clockwork--accursed dog of a bungling
watch-maker--off with you--Satan--stop, pipe-maker--infernal
beast--hold--begone--let go!" These words were uttered by the voices
of Spalanzani, and the hideous Coppelius, who was thus raging and
clamoring. Nathaniel rushed in, overcome by the most inexpressible
anguish. The professor held a female figure fast by the shoulders, the
Italian Coppola grasped it by the feet, and thus they were tugging and
pulling, this way and that, contending for the possession of it, with
the utmost fury. Nathaniel started back with horror, when in the
figure he recognised Olympia. Boiling with the wildest indignation, he
was about to rescue his beloved from these infuriated men, but