to escape a criminal charge of having fraudulently imposed an automaton
upon human society. Coppola, too, had also disappeared.

When Nathanael awoke he felt as if he had been oppressed by a terrible
nightmare; he opened his eyes and experienced an indescribable
sensation of mental comfort, whilst a soft and most beautiful sensation
of warmth pervaded his body. He lay on his own bed in his own room at
home; Clara was bending over him, and at a little distance stood his
mother and Lothair. "At last, at last, O my darling Nathanael; now we
have you again; now you are cured of your grievous illness, now you are
mine again." And Clara's words came from the depths of her heart; and
she clasped him in her arms. The bright scalding tears streamed from
his eyes, he was so overcome with mingled feelings of sorrow and
delight; and he gasped forth, "My Clara, my Clara!" Siegmund, who had
staunchly stood by his friend in his hour of need, now came into the
room. Nathanael gave him his hand--"My faithful brother, you have not
deserted me." Every trace of insanity had left him, and in the tender
hands of his mother and his beloved, and his friends, he quickly
recovered his strength again. Good fortune had in the meantime visited
the house; a niggardly old uncle, from whom they had never expected to
get anything, had died, and left Nathanael's mother not only a
considerable fortune, but also a small estate, pleasantly situated not
far from the town. There they resolved to go and live, Nathanael and
his mother, and Clara, to whom he was now to be married, and Lothair.
Nathanael was become gentler and more childlike than he had ever been
before, and now began really to understand Clara's supremely pure and
noble character. None of them ever reminded him, even in the remotest
degree, of the past. But when Siegmund took leave of him, he said, "By
heaven, brother! I was in a bad way, but an angel came just at the
right moment and led me back upon the path of light. Yes, it was
Clara." Siegmund would not let him speak further, fearing lest the
painful recollections of the past might arise too vividly and too
intensely in his mind.

The time came for the four happy people to move to their little
property. At noon they were going through the streets. After making
several purchases they found that the lofty tower of the town-house was
throwing its giant shadows across the market-place. "Come," said Clara,
"let us go up to the top once more a