Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

           "TheDetectivepausedbeforeaskingagain:"Wouldanyotherskilledperson—attheBritishMuseum,forinstance,oradealer,oracollectorlikeMr.Trelawny,knowthevalue—theartisticvalue—ofthelamps?"

           "Certainly!Anyonewithaheadonhisshoulderswouldseeataglancethatthethingswerevaluable."

           TheDetective’sfacebrightened."Thenthereisachance.Ifyourdoorwaslockedandthewindowshut,thegoodswerenotstolenbythechanceofachambermaidorabootscomingalong.Whoeverdidthejobwentafteritspecial;andheain’tgoingtopartwithhisswagwithouthisprice.Thismustbeacaseofnoticetothepawnbrokers.There’sonegoodthingaboutit,anyhow,thatthehueandcryneedn’tbegiven.Weneedn’ttellScotlandYardunlessyoulike;wecanworkthethingprivately.Ifyouwishtokeepthethingdark,asyoutoldmeatthefirst,thatisourchance."Mr.Corbeck,afterapause,saidquietly:

           "Isupposeyoucouldn’thazardasuggestionastohowtherobberywaseffected?"ThePolicemansmiledthesmileofknowledgeandexperience.

           "Inaverysimpleway,Ihavenodoubt,sir.Thatishowallthesemysteriouscrimesturnoutinthelong-run.Thecriminalknowshisworkandallthetricksofit;andheisalwaysonthewatchforchances.Moreover,heknowsbyexperiencewhatthesechancesarelikelytobe,andhowtheyusuallycome.