The concert had finished, the ball began. 'To dance with her - with
her!' That was the aim of all Nathaniel's desire, of all his efforts;
but how to gain courage to ask her, the queen of the ball? Nevertheless -
he himself did not know how it happened - no sooner had the dancing
begun than he was standing close to Olympia, who had not yet been asked
to dance. Scarcely able to stammer out a few words, he had seized her
hand. Olympia's hand was as cold as ice; he felt a horrible deathly
chill thrilling through him. He looked into her eyes, which beamed back
full of love and desire, and at the same time it seemed as though her
pulse began to beat and her life's blood to flow into her cold hand. And
in the soul of Nathaniel the joy of love rose still higher; he clasped
the beautiful Olympia, and with her flew through the dance. He thought
that his dancing was usually correct as to time, but the peculiarly
steady rhythm with which Olympia moved, and which often put him
completely out, soon showed him that his time was most defective.
However, he would dance with no other lady, and would have murdered
anyone who approached Olympia for the purpose of asking her. But this
only happened twice, and to his astonishment Olympia remained seated
until the next dance, when he lost no time in making her rise again.
Had he been able to see any other object besides the fair Olympia, all
sorts of unfortunate quarrels would have been inevitable. For the quiet,
scarcely suppressed laughter which arose among the young people in
every corner was manifestly directed towards Olympia, whom they followed
with very curious glances - one could not tell why. Heated by the dance
and by the wine, of which he had freely partaken, Nathaniel had laid
aside all his ordinary reserve. He sat by Olympia with her hand in his
and, in a high state of inspiration, told her his passion, in words
which neither he nor Olympia understood.
Yet perhaps she did; for she looked steadfastly into his face and sighed
several times, 'Ah, ah!' Upon this, Nathaniel said, 'Oh splendid,
heavenly lady! Ray from the promised land of love - deep soul in whom
all my being is reflected !' with much more stuff of the like kind. But
Olympia merely went on sighing, 'Ah - ah!'
ETA Hofmann / The Sandman
The high steeple of the townhall was already casting its gigantic shadow over the market-place.
'Oh,' said Clara, 'let us climb it once more and look out at the distant mountains!'
No sooner said than done. Nathaniel and Clara both ascended the steps,
the mother returned home with the servant, and Lothaire, who was not
inclined to clamber up so many stairs, chose to remain below. The two
lovers stood arm-in-arm on the highest gallery of the tower, and looked
down upon the misty forests, behind which the blue mountains rose like a
gigantic city.
'Look there at that curious little grey bush,' said Clara. 'It actually looks as if it were striding towards us.'
Nathaniel mechanically put his hand into his breast pocket - he found
Coppola's telescope, and pointed it to one side. Clara was in the way of
the glass. His pulse and veins leapt convulsively. Pale as death, he
stared at Clara, soon streams of fire flashed and glared from his
rolling eyes, he roared frightfully, like a hunted beast.Then he sprang
high into the air and. punctuating his words with horrible laughter, he
shrieked out in a piercing tone, 'Spin round, wooden doll! - spin
round!' Then seizing Clara with immense force, he tried to hurl her
down, but with the desperate strength of one battling against death she
clutched the railings.
Lothaire heard the' raging of the madman - he heard Clara's shriek of
agony - fearful forebodings darted through his mind, he ran up, the door
to the second flight was fastened, Clara's shrieks became louder and
still louder. Frantic with rage and anxiety, he threw himself against
the door, which finally burst open. Clara's voice was becoming weaker
and weaker. 'Help - help save me!' With these words the voice seemed to
die on the air.
'She is gone - murdered by that madman!' cried Lothaire.
The door of the gallery was also closed, but despair gave him a giant's
strength, and he burst it from the hinges. Heavens! Grasped by the mad
Nathaniel, Clara was hanging in the air over the gallery - with one hand
only she still held one of the iron railings. Quick as lightning,
Lothaire caught his sister and drew her in, at the same moment striking
the madman in the face with his clenched fist to such effect that he
reeled and let go his prey.
Lothaire ran down with his fainting sister in his arms. She was saved.
Nathaniel went raging about the gallery, leaping high in the air and
crying, 'Circle of fire'spin round! spin round!'
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