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92 mine!" Maria felt, in the cold shuddering that crept over her, a singular pleasure.

Twilight had come on; the doctor, with Godfather Drosselmeier, entered the sitting-room; and it was not long before Louise had arranged the tea-table, and all sat around, talking cheerfully of various things. Maria had very quietly taken her little arm-chair, and seated herself close at Godfather Drosselmeier's feet. During a moment when they were all silent, she looked up with her large blue eyes in the Counsellor's face, and said: "I know, dear Godfather Drosselmeier, that my Nutcracker is your nephew, the young Drosselmeier, of Nuremberg, and he has become a prince, or king rather, as your companion, the astronomer, foretold. All has turned out exactly so. You know now that he is at war with the son of Lady Mouserings—with the hateful Mouse-King. Why do you not help him?" Maria then related the whole course of the battle, just as she had seen