Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

           Itwasofsomeyellow-brownsubstanceofthedominatingcoloureffectofMexicanonyx,whichitresembledinmanyways,exceptingthatthenaturalpatternofitsconvolutionswaslessmarked.Hereandtherewerepatchesalmosttransparent—certainlytranslucent.Thewholechest,coverandall,waswroughtwithhundreds,perhapsthousands,ofminutehieroglyphics,seeminglyinanendlessseries.Back,front,sides,edges,bottom,allhadtheirquotaofthedaintypictures,thedeepblueoftheircolouringshowingupfreshandsharplyedgeintheyellowstone.Itwasverylong,nearlyninefeet;andperhapsayardwide.Thesidesundulated,sothattherewasnohardline.Eventhecornerstooksuchexcellentcurvesthattheypleasedtheeye."Truly,"Isaid,"thismusthavebeenmadeforagiant!"

           "Orforagiantess!"saidMargaret.

           Thissarcophagusstoodneartooneofthewindows.Itwasinonerespectdifferentfromalltheothersarcophagiintheplace.Alltheothersinthehouse,ofwhatevermaterial—granite,porphyry,ironstone,basalt,slate,orwood—werequitesimpleinformwithin.Someofthemwereplainofinteriorsurface;otherswereengraved,inwholeorpart,withhieroglyphics.Buteachandallofthemhadnoprotuberancesorunevensurfaceanywhere.Theymighthavebeenusedforbaths;indeed,theyresembledinmanywaysRomanbathsofstoneormarblewhichIhadseen.Insidethis,however,wasaraisedspace,outlinedlikeahumanfigure.IaskedMargaretifshecouldexplainitinanyway.