Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд
Chapter 8
Thesecondthathehadsomepurposeorexpectationwithregardtoit,whichhewouldnotdisclose,eventohisdaughter,tillcomplete.Againitwastobeborneinmindthatthissarcophagusdifferedinternallyfromalltheothers.Whatmeantthatoddraisedplace?IsaidnothingtoMissTrelawny,forIfearedlestIshouldeitherfrightenherorbuoyherupwithfuturehopes;butImadeupmymindthatIwouldtakeanearlyopportunityforfurtherinvestigation.
Closebesidethesarcophaguswasalowtableofgreenstonewithredveinsinit,likebloodstone.Thefeetwerefashionedlikethepawsofajackal,androundeachlegwastwinedafull-throatedsnakewroughtexquisitelyinpuregold.Onitrestedastrangeandverybeautifulcofferorcasketofstoneofapeculiarshape.Itwassomethinglikeasmallcoffin,exceptthatthelongersides,insteadofbeingcutoffsquareliketheupperorlevelpartwerecontinuedtoapoint.Thusitwasanirregularseptahedron,therebeingtwoplanesoneachofthetwosides,oneendandatopandbottom.Thestone,ofonepieceofwhichitwaswrought,wassuchasIhadneverseenbefore.Atthebaseitwasofafullgreen,thecolourofemeraldwithout,ofcourse,itsgleam.Itwasnotbyanymeansdull,however,eitherincolourorsubstance,andwasofinfinitehardnessandfinenessoftexture.Thesurfacewasalmostthatofajewel.Thecolourgrewlighterasitrose,withgradationsofineastobeimperceptible,changingtoafineyellowalmostofthecolourof"mandarin"china.
