No sooner had the clock ceased
striking, however, than they rushed, or rather rolled in, all
together- for the impediments of their chains caused most of the party
to fall, and all to stumble as they entered.
The excitement among the masqueraders was prodigious, and filled the
heart of the king with glee. As had been anticipated, there were not a
few of the guests who supposed the ferocious-looking creatures to be
beasts of some kind in reality, if not precisely ourang-outangs.
Many of the women swooned with affright; and had not the king taken
the precaution to exclude all weapons from the saloon, his party might
soon have expiated their frolic in their blood. As it was, a general
rush was made for the doors; but the king had ordered them to be
locked immediately upon his entrance; and, at the dwarf's
suggestion, the keys had been deposited with him.
While the tumult was at its height, and each masquerader attentive
only to his own safety (for, in fact, there was much real danger
from the pressure of the excited crowd), the chain by which the
chandelier ordinarily hung, and which had been drawn up on its
removal, might have been seen very gradually to descend, until its
hooked extremity came within three feet of the floor.
Soon after this, the king and his seven friends having reeled
about the hall in all directions, found themselves, at length, in
its centre, and, of course, in immediate contact with the chain.
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