The Serapion Brethren Volume I Part 53

"No doubt," said Ottmar, when Lothair had finished, "your 'Stranger Child' is more purely a story for children than your 'Nutcracker.'

Still, pardon me for saying so, you haven't been able to refrain from introducing a certain number of your confounded flourishes, such as no child could see to the bottom of."

"I," said Sylvester, "have long been acquainted with the little Devilkin that sits on Lothair's shoulder like a tame squirrel. He can't shut his ears to the strange things which the creature whispers to him."

"At all events," said Cyprian, "he ought to call those stories, 'Tales for Children, great and small,' instead of 'Tales for Children.'"

"Or," added Vincent, "'Tales for Children, and those who are not children.' In this way the entire world would be able to take them up and form their own opinion of them."

They all laughed, and Lothair, in comic anger, declared that in his next he would give full rein to his inspiration, regardless of consequences.

Midnight having struck, the friends said good-night, and separated in the happiest of moods.

[Footnote 1: The time of Napoleon's Prussian operations is here meant.

Hoffmann pa.s.sed through this in early life.--TRANS.]

[Footnote 2: This untranslateable expression means, "Sentence of death is p.r.o.nounced."--TRANSLATOR.]

[Footnote 3: "Darling! remember well, When I have pa.s.sed away, How this unchanging soul Loves Thee for aye!

Though my poor ashes rest Deep in the silent grave, Ev'n in the urn of Death Thee I adore!"]

[Footnote 4: I have omitted the words in question, as not now possessing much interest.--TRANS.]

[Footnote 5: A celebrated master singer; as were also others, subsequently mentioned as composers of "tones" or "manners" of song.--TRANS.]

END OF VOLUME FIRST.