Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/414

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376
SYLVIE AND BRUNO CONCLUDED

The Professor began fluently enough. "Once a coincidence was taking a walk with a little accident, and they met an explanation——a very old explanation——so old that it was quite doubled up, and looked more like a conundrum——" he broke off suddenly.

"Please go on!" both children exclaimed.

The Professor made a candid confession. "It's a very difficult sort to invent, I find. Suppose Bruno tells one, first."

Bruno was only too happy to adopt the suggestion.

"Once there were a Pig, and a Accordion, and two Jars of Orange-marmalade——"

"The dramatis personæ," murmured the Professor. "Well, what then?"

"So, when the Pig played on the Accordion," Bruno went on, "one of the Jars of Orange-marmalade didn't like the tune, and the other Jar of Orange-marmalade did like the tune—I know I shall get confused among those Jars of Orange-marmalade, Sylvie!" he whispered anxiously.

"I will now recite the other Introductory Verses," said the Other Professor.