The Brass Bottle Page #2

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So far,

I haven't been able to land

a single client of my own.

Client?

What is this client of which

thou speakest?

Oh, anybody who wants

a house built,

or an office building,

or even a gas station.

- Gas station?

- Uh-hmm.

A station that sells gas

and oil.

Oil?

For lighting or anointing?

For automobiles. And don't ask

what an automobile is.

You're going to be riding

in one in one minute.

Up here, officers.

Right in here.

Where is he?

Where'd he go?

He was here. The window.

Even Tarzan

couldn't get out this way.

Out or in.

Mr. Ventimore,

when you left for Paris

six years ago,

we threw a big wing-ding down

at the precinct.

We figured au revoir,

he's the problem

of the gendarmes now.

Why did you have to come back?

I swear to you,

there was a lunatic

in this room.

There still is.

I don't know how he got out.

For that matter,

I don't even know how he got in.

All I know is that

when I opened my eyes,

there he was.

What do you mean

when you opened your eyes?

Well, I had this slight

accident.

I-- I bumped my head.

All right, Joe,

let's get out of here.

I'm starving, Harold.

Why can't you just

tell Mr. Beevor

we're going to lunch?

He doesn't like to be disturbed

when he's with a client.

And he's waiting to see

this sketch.

May I help you?

- Uh, yes.

I-- I'm looking

for Mr. Ventimore.

That's me.

Oh, well, my name is Wackerbath.

- Samuel Wackerbath?

- Uh, yes.

I-- I-- I'm planning a--

a new development,

Wackerbath City.

Yes, I know all about it.

I-- I read about it

in the papers.

Well, I'd like to discuss it

with you if you're available.

Me? Available?

I think you've made a mistake.

You want Mr. Beevor.

He's-- he's right next door.

Let me just see

if I can get his secretary.

Uh, this is your card, isn't it?

- Yes.

- Well, Mr. Ventimore,

I have decided

that you are the man

to design Wackerbath City.

Oh, please excuse me, gentlemen.

You, uh, evidently

have business to discuss.

Mr. Wackerbath,

may I present my fiancee,

Ms. Kenton.

- How do you do?

How do you do?

I'll be waiting

at the restaurant.

And, uh, you don't

have to hurry.

Excuse me.

Well, won't you sit down?

Well, only for a moment.

Thank you.

Which of my drawings

impressed you the most, sir?

Well, it was,

uh, it-- it was, uh,

well, I-- I-- I can't remember.

What's the difference?

Uh, we'll start off

with several designs

for medium-priced dwellings.

My general manager MacDougall

will fill you in

on all the details.

Yes, sir.

Uh, we'll consider

this a retainer.

Uh, good day, Mr.,

um, Ventimore.

You won't be sorry,

Mr. Wackerbath, I promise you.

I just remembered.

I have a Board of Directors.

They'll want to meet you.

Well, I'll arrange it

and phone you.

Uh, goodbye, Mr., uh...

Ms. Glidden, when Mr. Beevor

is through in there,

tell him I've taken

the rest of the day off.

Mr. Ventimore,

you've been drinking.

Then, after he blows his stack,

show him that.

Samuel Wackerbath?

Wants me to do Wackerbath City.

Mr. Fakrash?

Thou art surprised to see me?

Yes.

No. I-- yes.

You're real.

You're not a bump on the head.

I-- I thought you were just,

how-- how did you get out

of my apartment?

Since last thou beheld me,

oh meritorious one,

I have journeyed far.

First to Jerusalem.

- Jerusalem?

Yeah, verily. To seek audience

with Suleyman the Great.

Well, it's-- it's fun

looking up old friends,

I always say.

I intended to throw myself

at his feet and beg his

forgiveness, but alas,

King Suleyman's temple

is no more.

And Suleyman himself is dust.

May he rest in peace.

Well, you've got to expect

those things,

especially after 3000 years.

And Jerusalem is changed.

So changed I knew it not.

And this will surprise thee,

Babylon and Ninevah

gone.

- That is news.

- Uh-hmm.

Mr. Fakrash,

there's someone

I want you to meet.

Gladly.

Gladly, if he be friend

of thine.

Now, don't misunderstand,

but you're a sick man.

I want you to come

downstairs with me.

There's a psychiatrist

in this building.

Ah, there is doubt in thy mind

that I am truly an Efreet

of the Green Jinn.

Not in the least. We'll

discuss it some other time.

I'm in a hurry now.

I have to meet my girl.

I'll drop you off on the way.

Doubt no longer,

oh best of mankind.

Behold.

Mr. Fakrash.

What sayest thou now?

It's hypnosis.

It's got to be.

Partake.

Figs from the Valley

of the Nile.

Dates from Samarkand.

Um...

you're a professional

magician, aren't you?

Yeah, I've seen an act like

yours in a night club.

A fellow made rabbits

appear and birds.

Even goldfish in a bowl. Huh?

Either that or I'm dreaming.

And was the client I sent

thee also a dream?

Client?

You sent Mr. Wackerbath?

Yeah, verily.

I and no other.

But he said he--

he said he saw my work.

He said he liked it.

Naturally...

I placed the thought

in his mind.

Ah, then he never saw

my drawings.

Thou art displeased.

Say no more.

I will undo the affair

and devise other means

of serving thee.

No.

I'm sure Mr. Wackerbath

will like my work.

This is the chance

I've been waiting for.

And I'm very grateful to you

for giving it to me.

It is naught,

oh young man of excellence,

to the services I shall

henceforth render thee.

Harold, I just called

Wackerbath's office

to check up on this.

Did he sound all right?

What did he say?

I wasn't able to get

through to him,

but his secretary verified it.

It's true.

Well, why wouldn't it be true?

I didn't know you even knew

Samuel Wackerbath.

I didn't, until today.

You mean he just dropped

in out of the blue?

In a manner of speaking, yes.

Expect me to believe that?

Don't you?

Ventimore, I took you in

when nobody else would have you.

Gave you a chance.

And all this time,

you've been working

behind my back.

Oh, no, sir, that's not true.

Then why didn't you send

Wackerbath in to me?

He didn't ask for you.

Oh, I suppose he asked for you.

Yes, he did.

But this doesn't mean

I'm leaving the firm.

It doesn't?

I'm going to lunch.

By the time I get back,

I want you out of this office

permanently.

Sometimes, I wish you'd--

Thy wish shall be fulfilled.

In another moment,

he shall depart this life.

What?

It is but a slight undertaking.

Undertaking?

What are you talking about?

Even as we speak,

the misbegotten dog

approacheth the precipice.

He shall descend

like a bolt of lightning--

ka-chung--

into the bowels of the earth.

Oh, no.

Mr. Beevor, hold it.

Stop.

How'd you know the elevator

wouldn't be there?

When I came in this morning,

it wasn't working.

Why didn't you tell me?

Tell somebody.

People might have been killed.

Wackerbath can have you.

I'm glad to be rid of you.

Look.

Mr. Fakrash,

in this century, we don't

go around killing people,

not even people

like Mr. Beevor.

Why not?

Thy enemies are now my enemies.

He who offends thee, offends me.

We have a law against killing.

We call it murder.

Frankly, Mr. Fakrash,

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