Under the fierce, determined assault the doors gave way and toppled in, while through the opening swarmed and crowded the band of eager Brownies, with Prince Florimel in their lead.
At almost the same instant, through other doors, poured Dragonfel’s hosts, with Vulcan’s red imps somersaulting and leaping among them, and there were so many of them, and all so big and powerful, they well might cause dismay to the stoutest heart.
“So be it then!” cried Dragonfel, grandiloquently, for the sight of all these great, hulking fellows gave him renewed confidence. “It is power against power!”
And, striking a pompous attitude, he cleared his throat, and placed his hand on his chest.
“Stand back!” shouted King Stanislaus. “He’s going to speak a piece!”
Then Dragonfel poetically spouted:
“Much rather than in spite of me,
The union of these bands should be,
From thy long rest, oh, Vulcan, wake;
Let earth to its dark centre quake,
And these strong walls that round us stand
Come crumbling down in lime and sand!”
This incantation, punctuated, as it were, by Vulcan’s imps, who threw balls of fire into the air where the commas, semicolon, and exclamation point are above transcribed, was delivered with only fair elocutionary ability, but its effect was electrifying.
Almost with the last word uttered by his vindictive lips a tremor ran through the earth that brought to all a sickening sensation of fear. The heavy walls and ornate supporting pillars shook, tottered, and then fell with a terrific crash, that might well horrify all, as the vibrations of the earth continued.
In another instant the magnificent palace lay in ruins illumined by fierce flames that leaped wildly from the apex of the volcano and licked with fiery tongues the very sky.