Page:Artabanzanus (Ferrar, 1896).djvu/266

258 display of their wonderful abilities, they contradicted each other, then fell to mutual abuse; called each other liars, rogues, traitors, scoundrels, and every other vile name they could think of, and finally jumped down from their casks, and joined in a general boxing match all round.

Then it was that a sudden roar, as of a tempest bursting through a thick forest, reached our ears from a distance. It increased in volume every moment, until it became a loud roar as of continuous thunder. The situation was becoming dreadful. The menacing crowds gathered and thickened round our carriage.

'They mean to stop us by force,' said the Demon.

'We must unite our powers, sir, and strike them blind,' said the Doctor.

'I fear it will be necessary,' replied the Demon, 'if the Generals do not come up in time. Drive on, Damnadabad—drive on over their necks and heels, if they do not clear the way!'

There was a lull in the tempest, and an awful silence reigned for a moment: and then another kind of storm, of which we had not the slightest expectation, burst upon us. It was the fierce baying of bloodhounds, and the terrific roar of a lion.

'Drive on!' roared the Demon; ' Bellagranda is out, she's on the rampage again, though I told her I was only going to the Bridge of Despair to smoke a pipe: now for the tug of war! Doctor, have you got your squeezatalis about you?

'I have it ready, my lord, for all cases of emergency,' replied the Doctor.

We were now within a couple of hundred yards of the balloon, which was standing upright ready for flight, and Could see the faithful Obeltub at his post in the car. The enormous crowds of people, as if struck by some extraordinary fear, had not approached nearer; but the roaring