CHAPTER XVIII
THE FLIGHT TO THE MINE
In bringing about the destruction of his palace Dragonfel's only thoughthad been the destruction of the Brownies. He had hoped to crush thesprites by means of the falling walls and columns, and when he invokedVulcan for the assistance he felt sure would be given to him he was verycareful to keep out of harm's way himself.
But like many another vindictive, revengeful person the wicked enchanteroverreached himself. He had no idea when he called upon Vulcan to getbusy that the latter would make such a good job of it.
He fully expected the palace to topple down, for that was what he hadasked for. But he did not want the volcano that had been thrown in forgood measure. It made things too hot and uncomfortable.
He was very much alarmed when he saw the volcano in violent eruption,for he realized that the downpour of lava boded ill for himself as wellas for others over whose safety he was not at all concerned.
Thinking only of himself, he was on the point of ordering out hisvolunteer fire department to subdue the flames in the crater when to hisgreat relief he noticed that King Stanislaus had taken the matter out ofhis hands.
From his place of safety Dragonfel watched the operations of theBrownies, and he breathed more freely when he noticed that they weregetting the fire well under control, so that the prospect of all dangerwas fast being removed through their energetic efforts.
He realized that after the volcano was subdued these indomitable littlepeople would devote their attention to him, and in considering what theoutcome would be he grew more and more uncertain. As a matter of fact,he was beginning to fear the mystic power of the Brownies, and he verymuch doubted if his big followers with all their boasted strength were afit match for these sprites who had not only cunning but courage.
He decided that in the clash which was bound to come it was best not torisk any chance of defeat in a fair, open fight, but by underhandedmeans to overpower them.
Then the diabolical scheme of making the Brownies prisoners, and settingthem to work in his mine, presented itself. If he fled there with hiscaptives, they would undoubtedly follow in pursuit, and once in the minethey easily could be made helpless.
The Demon Usher at his feet was going through all sorts of contortionsof fear, and Dragonfel looked sneeringly down at him.
"Stop your shaking, and listen to me," he commanded. "We are going totake the captives to the mine."
"Let us start at once, kind master," said the Demon Usher, in a fever ofimpatience. "If it gets cool here it will be too hot to hold us."
"You will be the only one to stay," said Dragonfel.
"Oh, say not so, kind master!" cried the Demon Usher, shaking with evengreater violence than before. "If they catch me they will kill me."
"Then it will be good riddance to bad rubbish," was Dragonfel'sunfeeling retort. "I said you were to stay, so that settles it. When theBrownies ask you where we've gone, you're to tell them to the mine.They'll probably make you lead them to it. When they do take them to thesecret entrance, and after they are in close the boulder on them. Do youunderstand me?"
"Yes, I grasp you perfectly," said the Demon Usher, "but, oh, kindmaster, I have a weak heart, and at times it fails me. Would it not bebetter to intrust a delicate matter like this to Snoutpimple?"
"After they are imprisoned," went on Dragonfel, unheeding thesuggestion, "you can come around by the main entrance, and let me know."
Just as soon as he was fully convinced that all danger was over theenchanter passed the word around among his followers to decamp, and thiswas effected so insidiously that the Brownies did not notice it.
They laid rough hands on Queen Titania, Dame Drusilda, Violet, andDaffodil, muffling the cries for help they tried to make, and bore themwith great haste from the scene of excitement; the waving arms andkicking availed them nothing.
With their struggling, protesting burdens in their arms they ran towardthe mine, and descended into it by the main entrance. When they reachedthe great shaft where the mine-sprites were hard at work, Titania, DameDrusilda, Violet, and Daffodil were released, and they looked aroundwith wonder and surprise.
The mine-sprites cast furtive glances of curiosity at these strange newfaces that invited confidence, but so frightened were they when they sawtheir cruel master that they redoubled their efforts, and their fingersfairly flew as they dug them in the earth for precious stones.
"Poor little things!" was Queen Titania's involuntary cry. "The work istoo hard for them."
"I've been thinking of that," said Dragonfel, with a chuckle, "and I'vedecided to put an extra force on."
"Do you mean to set us to work?" asked Dame Drusilda indignantly.
"Perhaps," said Dragonfel, with a horrid grin. "Just now, though, I'mgoing to take you all to another part of the mine where we'll awaitdevelopments."
As he spoke he seized Titania's hand, and began to drag her off down oneof the dark passage-ways. In the same manner Mandrake followed with DameDrusilda, while after him came Boundingbore with Violet and Daffodil.
The mine-sprites watched their retreating forms, but they were tooterrified to speak a word, and were helpless to aid them in any way.
Dragonfel led the rest along the subterranean passage until at last theycame to a square chamber that had been cut with much skill into thesolid rock.
When Mandrake lit a crystal lamp the great magnificence of the place wasrevealed.
The floor and walls were inlaid with precious jewels in designs thatwere truly wonderful. Divans were built in at the sides, and the variouscreatures of the wild were represented everywhere.
For all his short-comings, Dragonfel seemed to have a great respect foranimals, and gave their skins at least a rest on his floors and wallswhere they could grin at spiders and moth-millers with some show ofsatisfaction.
At the ceiling which was thickly crusted with diamonds there was aslender open shaft that evidently had been made to provide air and lightbut which was too small to provide a means of escape.
"This is where you'll stay," announced Dragonfel. "The place isn'thalf-bad, as things go, so you ought to make yourselves fairlycomfortable in it. You'll find both hot and cold water in the littleante-room screened off by those peacock-feather portieres. Your mealswill be brought to you. If you want to read there's the dictionary."
"How long are you going to keep us here?" asked Titania, with a sinkingof her heart.
"Always, and maybe longer," was Dragonfel's gruff response. "Have youbrought your knitting with you?"
"If you think you can keep us here against our will," said Titania, in adecided tone, "you will find that you are very much mistaken."
"How so?" said Dragonfel contemptuously.
"It won't be long before the Brownies are here."
"That's what I fully expect," said the enchanter, with a knowing wink,"and after they come there'll be something doing, BELIEVE ME!"
He laid great emphasis upon the last two words, and in spite of all herconfidence in Florimel and the Brownies Titania was filled with greatuneasiness.
But she knew that further words would be wasted on him, so she saidnothing more. With Dame Drusilda, Violet, and Daffodil she retired toa corner of the room, as far removed from him as possible, wherethey discussed among themselves in whispers this new phase of thedisagreeable situation.
They hoped that Dragonfel and the rest would go, but still theylingered, and the enchanter at times looked up at the narrow opening cutinto the ceiling. Finally he gave expression to a grunt of satisfactionas something he had been watching for met his gaze, and they noticedwith him that a golden flood of sunshine was pouring through theopening.
"Day at last!" he cried, and, almost with his words, the Demon Ushermade his appearance with a hop, skip, and jump, while at his back stooda half-starved looking demon whose hair had not been cut for a longtime, and who had a distinctly artistic appearance.
"Master, kind master," the Demon Usher joyously cackled, "I bear g
oodnews. The little commission you intrusted me with I executed to the bestof my ability. Oh, master, you should have seen how brave I was. I waswith them single-handed, yet I was more than a match for them all. I hadthe whole band in terrible fear of me."
"Stop throwing bouquets at yourself!" ordered Dragonfel. "Tell me wherethey are."
"It's all easy now," went on the Demon Usher. "The dangerous part hasbeen done by me. I've got them so cowed that now they'll eat out ofyour hand. I captured them all by myself, and drove them into the southlode, where they wait to do your bidding."
"Will you permit me a word, kind master?" then spoke up the half-starvedlooking demon, as he unrolled a large sheet of paper. "He doesn'tdeserve a medal, or even honorable mention. I took a rough sketch of himwhen he had the Brownies at his mercy, and here it is."
Dragonfel stared at the effort in astonishment.
"You have missed your calling," he remarked. "You should be in theAcademy of Design."
Titania had listened with fast increasing alarm, and now with DameDrusilda, Violet, and Daffodil she advanced quickly toward him. "Of whomis this creature speaking?" she asked, in evident distress. "Of theBrownies?"
The Demon Usher uttered his disagreeable cackle as Dragonfel exultinglyresponded:
"Yes, the Brownies! They are prisoners like yourselves. Their nights ofadventure are over, and they'll never more delight in harmless pranksand helpful deeds. Those who seek their aid will henceforth look forthem in vain. They are doomed to slave in this mine for the rest oftheir lives!"
Then Grouthead came up running, and he cried in great excitement:
"Master, kind master, we have captured all the Brownies, and they arehelpless. What shall we do with them?"
"Set them to work at once," spoke Dragonfel. "I will go back with you togloat over them."
He started immediately, and Titania and her companions attempted tofollow, but Mandrake barred the way, and held them back.