y both reached the floor. But,
turning for a last look at the old cabinet, they saw that everything was
in commotion. All the carved stags stretched their heads farther out
than before, raised their antlers, and moved their throats, while the
crooked-legged field-marshal-major-general-corporal-sergeant sprang up
and shouted to the old Chinese mandarin, "Look! they are eloping! they
are eloping!"

They were not a little frightened at this, and jumped quickly into an
open drawer in the window seat.

Here lay three or four packs of cards that were not quite complete, and
a little doll's theater, which had been set up as nicely as could be. A
play was going on, and all the queens sat in the front row, and fanned
themselves with the flowers which they held in their hands, while behind
them stood the knaves, each with two heads, one above and one below, as
playing cards have. The play was about two persons who were not allowed
to marry, and the shepherdess cried, for it seemed so like her own
story.

"I cannot bear this!" she said. "Let us leave the drawer."

But when she had again reached the floor she looked up at the table and
saw that the old Chinese mandarin was awake, and that he was rocking
his whole body to and fro with rage.

"The old mandarin is coming!" cried she, and down she fell on her
porcelain knees, so frightened was she.

"I have thought of a plan," said the chimney sweep. "Suppose we creep
into the jar of perfumes, the potpourri vase which stands in the corner.
There we can rest upon roses and lavender, and throw salt in his eyes if
he comes near."

"That will not do at all," she said. "Besides, I know that the old
mandarin and the potpourri vase were once betrothed; and no doubt some
slight friendship still exists between them. No, there is no help for
it; we must wander forth together into the wide world."

"Have you really the courage to go out into the wide world with me?"
asked the chimney sweep. "Have you considered how large it is, and that
if we go, we can never come back?"

"I have," replied she.

And the chimney sweep looked earnestly at her and said, "My way lies
through the chimney. Have you really the courage to go with me through
the stove, and creep through the flues and the tunnel? Well do I know
the way! we shall come out by the chimney, and then I shall know how to
manage. We shall mount so high that they can never reach us, and at the
top there is an opening that leads out in