Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

           Corbeckatoncetookupthechallengeconveyed:

           "Donotmisunderstandme!Iamnotboundbyanydefinitepledgeofsecrecy;butIamboundinhonourtorespectMr.Trelawny’sconfidence,giventome,Imaytellyou,inaverylargemeasure.Regardingmanyoftheobjectsinhisroomhehasadefinitepurposeinview;anditwouldnotbeeitherrightorbecomingforme,histrustedfriendandconfidant,toforestallthatpurpose.Mr.Trelawny,youmayknow—orratheryoudonotknoworyouwouldnothavesoconstruedmyremark—isascholar,averygreatscholar.Hehasworkedforyearstowardacertainend.Forthishehassparednolabour,noexpense,nopersonaldangerorself-denial.Heisonthelineofaresultwhichwillplacehimamongsttheforemostdiscoverersorinvestigatorsofhisage.Andnow,justatthetimewhenanyhourmightbringhimsuccess,heisstrickendown!"

           Hestopped,seeminglyovercomewithemotion.Afteratimeherecoveredhimselfandwenton:

           "Again,donotmisunderstandmeastoanotherpoint.IhavesaidthatMr.Trelawnyhasmademuchconfidencewithme;butIdonotmeantoleadyoutobelievethatIknowallhisplans,orhisaimsorobjects.Iknowtheperiodwhichhehasbeenstudying;andthedefinitehistoricalindividualwhoselifehehasbeeninvestigating,andwhoserecordshehasbeenfollowinguponebyonewithinfinitepatience.ButbeyondthisIknownothing.ThathehassomeaimorobjectinthecompletionofthisknowledgeIamconvinced.