Dumfounded was Florimel by this most unexpected and amazing sight, but there were other matters more urgent and pressing to demand his immediate attention.
With her strength almost spent Titania reeled and seemed about to faint, but Florimel sprang to her aid, and sustained her in his arms.
He strove to assure her that there was nothing further to fear until at last she began to recover her composure. “Noble prince,” she murmured, in tones that thrilled him, “you have saved my life, so henceforth it is yours!”
Florimel sank upon one knee before her, and kissed the pink finger-tips of the dainty hand she extended to him.
Looking up into her face, he thought he had never seen anyone so beautiful as she, while her tiny heart throbbed faster at the sight of him in all his gallant trappings, and she was very sure she had never seen anyone so handsome.
Then came in the greatest excitement all the fairies and Brownies, for these latter little people when Florimel left them had followed close upon his heels to aid him if need be, since, in spite of mystic power that had temporarily passed with night, they were too brave to desert a comrade when danger threatened.
The horror and fear of what they had just witnessed was too much for many of the fairies, and the kind-hearted Brownies had the interesting task of conveying some to places of safety, where they could receive proper treatment. In this work even the Chinaman willingly assisted.
A group of curious sprites with much interest inspected several of the creature’s tentacles, while Queen Titania’s overjoyed subjects crowded around Florimel with such profuse expressions of gratitude that he was much embarrassed.