"'Be disregardful of thine affairs, and commit them to the course of Fate,
For often a thing that enrages thee may eventually be to thee pleasing.'"
"I don't see the remotest chance of that, in my case," said Horace.
"Why is thy countenance thus troubled, and what new complaint hast thou against me?"
"What the devil do you mean by turning a distinguished and perfectly inoffensive scholar into a wall-eyed mule?" Horace broke out. "If that is your idea of a practical joke——!"
"It is one of the easiest affairs possible," said the Jinnee, complacently running his fingers through the thin strands of his beard. "I have accomplished such transformations on several occasions."
"Then you ought to be ashamed of yourself, that's all. The question is now—how do you propose to restore him again?"
"Far from undoing be that which is accomplished!" was the sententious answer.
"What?" cried Horace, hardly believing his ears; "you surely don't mean to allow that unhappy Professor to remain like that for ever, do you?"
"None can alter what is predestined."