y a strong effort of will he
managed to command his muscles.

"Well, sir," he said, "I've only chanced to come into close contact with
one mule in my life, and, frankly, I've no desire to repeat the
experience."

"You happened to come upon an unfavourable specimen, that's all," said
the Professor. "There are exceptions to every rule."

"This animal," Horace said, "was certainly exceptional enough in every
way."

"Do tell us all about it," pleaded one of the Miss Wackerbaths, and all
the ladies joined in the entreaty until Horace found himself under the
necessity of improvising a story, which, it must be confessed, fell
exceedingly flat.

This final ordeal past, he grew silent and thoughtful, as he sat there
by Sylvia's side, looking out through the glazed gallery outside upon
the spring foliage along the Embankment, the opaline river, and the shot
towers and buildings on the opposite bank glowing warm brown against an
evening sky of silvery blue.

Not for the first time did it seem strange, incredible almost, to him
that all these people should be so utterly without any recollection of
events which surely might have been expected to leave some trace upon
the least retentive memory--and yet it only proved once more how
thoroughly and honourably the old Jinnee, now slumbering placidly in his
bottle deep down in unfathomable mud, opposite the very spot where they
were dining, had fulfilled his last undertaking.

Fakrash, the brass bottle, and all the fantastic and embarrassing
performances were indeed as totally forgotten as though they had never
been.

* * * * *

And it is but too probable that even this modest and veracious account
of them will prove to have been included in the general act of
oblivion--though the author will trust as long as possible that
Fakrash-el-Aamash may have neglected to provide for this particular
case, and that the history of the Brass Bottle may thus be permitted to
linger awhile in the memories of some at least of its readers.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRASS BOTTLE***

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