Погребённый с фараонами
Chapter 2
IfonlyIhadnotreadsomuchEgyptologybeforecomingtothislandwhichisthefountainofalldarknessandterror! Thissecondspelloffaintingfilledmysleepingmindanewwithshiveringrealizationofthecountryanditsarchaicsecrets, andthroughsomedamnablechancemydreamsturnedtotheancientnotionsofthedeadandtheirsojourningsinsoulandbodybeyondthosemysterioustombswhichweremorehousesthangraves. Irecalled,indream-shapeswhichitiswellthatIdonotremember,thepeculiarandelaborateconstructionofEgyptiansepulchers; andtheexceedinglysingularandterrificdoctrineswhichdeterminedthisconstruction.
Allthesepeoplethoughtofwasdeathandthedead. Theyconceivedofaliteralresurrectionofthebody whichmadethemmummifyitwithdesperatecare,andpreserveallthevitalorgansincanopicjarsnearthecorpse; whilstbesidesthebodytheybelievedintwootherelements, thesoul,whichafteritsweighingandapprovalbyOsirisdweltinthelandoftheblest,andtheobscureandportentouskaorlife-principlewhichwanderedabouttheupperandlowerworldsinahorribleway, demandingoccasionalaccesstothepreservedbody,consumingthefoodofferingsbroughtbypriestsandpiousrelativestothemortuarychapel,andsometimes—asmenwhispered —takingitsbodyorthewoodendoublealwaysburiedbesideitandstalkingnoxiouslyabroadonerrandspeculiarlyrepellent.
