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    Mary trembled and would have fled , only she perceived godpapa Pivot sitting upon the clock , in the place of the owl ; the skirts of his snuff-coloured coat flying around him like the wings of the night-bird . * Godpapa Pivot—godpapa Pivot , what are you doing there ? Come down and don't frighten me , naughty godpapa !' Suddenly a strange whistling and gnashing was heard—a trotting and a running behind the walls . It sounded like the noise of thousands of Jittle feet . Soon there was a general trot and gallop into the room , and Mary perceived crowds of mice , with fiery eyes , ranging themselves in order and forming ranks , like the soldiers which Frederick set in battle-array . Mary , who was not so timid of mice as some children are , looked at them with pleasure , when all of a sudden there arose a whistle so piercing that it made her blood run cold . Close to her feet the carpet parted , as if moved by a subterraneous irruption , and seven rat heads , each crowned with a jewelled diadem , appeared . Soon came the body , the one body , to which these seven heads belonged ; and the army saluted with a shout the rat crowned with seven diadems , who immediately advanced , at full gallop , towards Mary , who was leaning against the cabinet . Mary ' s heart beat so , that she thought it would burst , and that her death-hour was come , but , suddenly , it stopped beating , her blood seemed to freeze in her veins , and she fell half fainting . Crash went the glass of the cabinet door , broken by her fall . She felt a sharp pain in her left arm , but her heart was relieved . Then all was quiet , and for a moment she thought that the rats and mice had returned to their holes . Alas ! behind her , Mary heard strange murmurs , and little voices crying , ' Up , up—we must march this night to the combat —up , up—to the combat !'

    The greatest agitation prevailed in the cabinet , puppets ran from one side to the other ( what a fine motto for a political pamphlet !) The Nutcracker raised himself up , threw off his coverlet , and jumped out of bed , crying , ' Rat people , race of mice—I despise ye—vermin that ye are !' So saying he drew his sword , waved it in the air , and thus continued , * Dear friends and vassals , will you follow me to the combat ?'

    Three scaramouches , Punch , four chimney-sweepers , one violin player , one drummer , and a black velvet cat , answered , with the greatest enthusiasm , * Yes , sir , we are faithful !—we will fight by the side of thee to the death—let us on to combat—to victory !' With those words in their mouths , they threw themselves from the

    cabinet on to the floor . It was all very well for those gentry , dressed in cloth and silk , witjj their paunches well stuffed with wool or horsehair , to take such a perilous leap ; but quite different with the poor nutcracker , who would certainly have broken every bone in his body , if Miss Clara had not first precipitated herself with the sofa and then received the hero tenderly in her arms , ' My dear and good Clara / said Mary , ' how I misunderstood youcertainly you are a well-wisher to Nutcracker . '

    Miss Clara , addressing the young hero , said , ' Sir , sick and wounded as you are , do not throw yourself into the melee . See how joyfully your yas 8 als hasten to the combat . Scaramouch , Punch , and the rest , have already taken the field , liepose in my arms , and await your victory . ' Thus spoke the blue eyed maid , but -Nutcracker struggled so much in

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    r 4 The Nu tcracker .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1835, page 14, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2641/page/14/