s tears, and swore never again to break their bond of love
and fidelity.

Nathanael felt as if a heavy burden that had been weighing him down to
the earth was now rolled from off him, nay, as if by offering
resistance to the dark power which had possessed him, he had rescued
his own self from the ruin which had threatened him. Three happy days
he now spent amidst the loved ones, and then returned to G----, where
he had still a year to stay before settling down in his native town for
life.

Everything having reference to Coppelius had been concealed from the
mother, for they knew she could not think of him without horror, since
she as well as Nathanael believed him to be guilty of causing her
husband's death.

* * * * * * *

When Nathanael came to the house where he lived he was greatly
astonished to find it burnt down to the ground, so that nothing but the
bare outer walls were left standing amidst a heap of ruins. Although
the fire had broken out in the laboratory of the chemist who lived on
the ground-floor, and had therefore spread upwards, some of Nathanael's
bold, active friends had succeeded in time in forcing a way into his
room in the upper storey and saving his books and manuscripts and
instruments. They had carried them all uninjured into another house,
where they engaged a room for him; this he now at once took possession
of. That he lived opposite Professor Spalanzani did not strike him
particularly, nor did it occur to him as anything more singular that he
could, as he observed, by looking out of his window, see straight into
the room where Olimpia often sat alone. Her figure he could plainly
distinguish, although her features were uncertain and confused. It did
at length occur to him, however, that she remained for hours together
in the same position in which he had first discovered her through the
glass door, sitting at a little table without any occupation whatever,
and it was evident that she was constantly gazing across in his
direction. He could not but confess to himself that he had never seen a
finer figure. However, with Clara mistress of his heart, he remained
perfectly unaffected by Olimpia's stiffness and apathy; and it was only
occasionally that he sent a fugitive glance over his compendium across
to her--that was all.

He was writing to Clara; a light tap came at the door. At his summons
to "Come in," Coppola's repulsive face appeared peeping in. Nathana