rt,
much more spacious than the former, in the middle of which appeared a
deep and dark pit. This court contained four hundred massive gates of
brass, and each gate was supported by nine enormous hinges of the same
metal.

As Ollomand the enchanter entered this court, with the Prince Ahubal
in his hand, he lifted up his voice, which echoed like thunder amidst
the lofty turrets of the castle, and commanded his slaves to expose to
the sight of Ahubal the treasures of their master.

The Prince Ahubal, who had seen no creature but the dwarf and the
enchanter in the castle, wondered whence the slaves would come; but
his wonder was shortly turned into fear when he beheld a gigantic
black, with a club of ebony forty feet in length, arise out of the pit
which was in the centre of the court.

But his horrors were increased when he perceived a succession of the
same gigantic monsters following one another out of the pit, and
advancing to the four hundred brazen gates, till every gate had a
slave standing before it.

When Ollomand saw his slaves were all prepared before the gates, he
bade them strike with their clubs of ebony against them.

The black slaves, in obedience to the enchanter's orders, lifted up
their ponderous clubs of ebony, and struck against the four hundred
gates, which jarred so much with the blows of the slaves that Ahubal
was forced to stop his ears, and was ready to sink into the earth with
astonishment and dread.

As soon as the black slaves of Ollomand had struck the four hundred
gates of brass, the gates began to move, and the harsh creaking of the
hinges sent forth a noise which alone had chilled the hearts of all
the armies of Misnar, could they have heard them.

Ahubal then, lifting up his head, looked around the court, and saw the
four hundred gates were opened. In those to the right were millions of
wedges of gold and silver, piled beneath craggy arches of huge
unchiselled stone. Opposite to these he beheld a hundred vaulted
roofs, under which were sacks and bags of the gold and silver coin of
many nations.

Before him another hundred gates exposed to his view the arms and
warlike accoutrements of ten thousand nations, and all the instruments
of death which the inventive malice of man had ever devised.

Ahubal, who understood but little of these instruments, was amazed at
their construction, and asked for what purposes they were formed.

"These," said Ollomand, "are the arms of Europe, a p