Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд
Chapter 9
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"Certainly,withthegreatestpleasure,sofarasIcan.ForImaytellyouthathieroglyphicwritingisnotquitemasteredyet;thoughwearegettingatit!Wearegettingatit!Whatistheinscription?"
"Therearetwo,"heanswered."OneofthemIshallbringhere."
Hewentout,andreturnedinaminutewiththemummycatwhichhehadthateveningintroducedtoSilvio.Thescholartookit;and,afterashortexamination,said:
"Thereisnothingespecialinthis.ItisanappealtoBast,theLadyofBubastis,togivehergoodbreadandmilkintheElysianFields.Theremaybemoreinside;andifyouwillcaretounrollit,Iwilldomybest.Idonotthink,however,thatthereisanythingspecial.FromthemethodofwrappingIshouldsayitisfromtheDelta;andofalateperiod,whensuchmummyworkwascommonandcheap.Whatistheotherinscriptionyouwishmetosee?"
"TheinscriptiononthemummycatinMr.Trelawny’sroom."
Mr.Corbeck’sfacefell."No!"hesaid,"Icannotdothat!Iam,forthepresentatallevents,practicallyboundtosecrecyregardinganyofthethingsinMr.Trelawny’sroom."
DoctorWinchester’scommentandmyownweremadeatthesamemoment.Isaidonlytheoneword"Checkmate!"fromwhichIthinkhemayhavegatheredthatIguessedmoreofhisideaandpurposethanperhapsIhadintentionallyconveyedtohim.Hemurmured:
"Practicallyboundtosecrecy?"
Mr.