the misty forests, behind which the blue mountains were rising like a
gigantic city.

"Look there at that curious little gray bush, which actually seems as
if it were striding towards us," said Clara. Nathaniel mechanically
put his hand into his breast pocket--he found Coppola's telescope, and
he looked on one side. Clara was before the glass. There was a
convulsive movement in his pulse and veins,--pale as death, he stared
at Clara, but soon streams of fire flashed and glared from his rolling
eyes, and he roared frightfully, like a hunted beast. Then he sprang
high into the air, and, in the intervals of a horrible laughter,
shrieked out, in a piercing tone, "Wooden doll--turn thyself!" Seizing
Clara with immense force he wished to hurl her down, but with the
energy of a desperate death-struggle she clutched the railings.
Lothaire heard the raging of the madman--he heard Clara's shriek of
agony--fearful forebodings darted through his mind, he ran up, the door
of the second flight was fastened, and the shrieks of Clara became
louder and louder. Frantic with rage and anxiety, he dashed against
the door, which, at last, burst open. Clara's voice became fainter and
fainter. "Help--help--save me!"--with these words the voice seemed to
die in the air. "She is gone--murdered by the madman!" cried Lothaire.
The door of the gallery was also closed, but despair gave him a giant's
strength, and he burst it from the hinges. Heavens--Clara, grasped by
the mad Nathaniel, was hanging in the air over the gallery,--only with
one hand she still held one of the iron railings. Quick as lightning
Lothaire caught his sister, drew her in, and, at the same moment,
struck the madman in the face with his clenched fist, so that he reeled
and let go his prey.

Lothaire ran down with his fainting sister in his arms. She was saved.
Nathaniel went raging about the gallery and bounded high in the air,
crying, "Fire circle turn thyself--turn thyself!" The people collected
at the sound of the wild shriek, and among them, prominent by his
gigantic stature, was the advocate Coppelius, who had just come to the
town, and was proceeding straight to the market-place. Some wished to
ascend and secure the madman, but Coppelius laughed, saying, "Ha,
ha,--only wait--he will soon come down of his own accord," and looked
up like the rest. Nathaniel suddenly stood still as if petrified; he
stooped down, perceived Coppelius, and yelling out, "Ah, pr