Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

           Foranswershesaid:

           "Fatherneverwishedtospeakaboutthis.Itattractedmyattentionfromthefirst;butwhenIaskedhimaboutithesaid:’Ishalltellyouallaboutitsomeday,littlegirl—ifIlive!Butnotyet!Thestoryisnotyettold,asIhopetotellittoyou!Someday,perhapssoon,Ishallknowall;andthenweshallgooverittogether.Andamightyinterestingstoryyouwillfindit—fromfirsttolast!’OnceafterwardIsaid,ratherlightlyIamafraid:’Isthatstoryofthesarcophagustoldyet,Father?’Heshookhishead,andlookedatmegravelyashesaid:’Notyet,littlegirl;butitwillbe—ifIlive—ifIlive!’Hisrepeatingthatphraseabouthislivingratherfrightenedme;Ineverventuredtoaskhimagain."

           Somehowthisthrilledme.Icouldnotexactlysayhoworwhy;butitseemedlikeagleamoflightatlast.Thereare,Ithink,momentswhenthemindacceptssomethingastrue;thoughitcanaccountforneitherthecourseofthethought,nor,iftherebemorethanonethought,theconnectionbetweenthem.HithertowehadbeeninsuchouterdarknessregardingMr.Trelawny,andthestrangevisitationwhichhadfallenonhim,thatanythingwhichaffordedaclue,evenofthefaintestandmostshadowykind,hadattheoutsettheenlighteningsatisfactionofacertainty.Hereweretwolightsofourpuzzle.ThefirstthatMr.Trelawnyassociatedwiththisparticularcurioadoubtofhisownliving.