und him."

"If you _will_ try to do so many things at once," said Horace, "I don't
see how you can expect much result."

"At Nineveh they knew him not--for where I left a city I found but a
heap of ruins, tenanted by owls and bats."

"_They say the lion and the lizard keep the Courts_----" murmured
Horace, half to himself. "I was afraid you might be disappointed with
Nineveh myself. Why not run over to Sheba? You might hear of him there."

"Seba of El-Yemen--the country of Bilkees, the Queen beloved of
Suleyman," said the Jinnee. "It is an excellent suggestion, and I will
follow it without delay."

"But you won't forget to look in on Professor Futvoye to-morrow, will
you?"

"Assuredly I will not. And now, ere I depart, tell me if there be any
other service I may render thee."

Horace hesitated. "There _is_ just one," he said, "only I'm afraid
you'll be offended if I mention it."

"On the head and the eye be thy commands!" said the Jinnee; "for
whatsoever thou desirest shall be accomplished, provided that it lie
within my power to perform it."

"Well," said Horace, "if you're sure you don't mind, I'll tell you.
You've transformed this house into a wonderful place, more like the
Alhambra--I don't mean the one in Leicester Square--than a London
lodging-house. But then I am only a lodger here, and the people the
house belongs to--excellent people in their way--would very much rather
have the house as it was. They have a sort of idea that they won't be
able to let these rooms as easily as the others."

"Base and sordid dogs!" said the Jinnee, with contempt.

"Possibly," said Horace, "it's narrow-minded of them--but that's the way
they look at it. They've actually left rather than stay here. And it's
_their_ house--not mine."

"If they abandon this dwelling, thou wilt remain in the more secure
possession."

"Oh, _shall_ I, though? They'll go to law and have me turned out, and I
shall have to pay ruinous damages into the bargain. So, you see, what
you intended as a kindness will only bring me bad luck."

"Come--without more words--to the statement of thy request," said
Fakrash, "for I am in haste."

"All I want you to do," replied Horace, in some anxiety as to what the
effect of his request would be, "is to put everything here back to what
it was before. It won't take you a minute."

"Of a truth," exclaimed Fakrash, "to bestow a favour upon thee is but a
thankless undertaking, for not once, but twice, hast