Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

           ThentheytoldmethatagreatSorcererinancientdays—’millionsofmillionsofyears’wasthetermtheyused—aKingoraQueen,theycouldnotsaywhich,wasburiedthere.Theycouldnotgivethename,persistingtothelastthattherewasnoname;andthatanyonewhoshouldnameitwouldwasteawayinlifesothatatdeathnothingofhimwouldremaintoberaisedagainintheOtherWorld.Inpassingthroughthevalleytheykepttogetherinacluster,hurryingoninfrontofme.Nonedaredtoremainbehind.Theygave,astheirreasonforsoproceeding,thatthearmsoftheSorcererwerelong,andthatitwasdangeroustobethelast.Thewhichwasoflittlecomforttomewhoofthisnecessitytookthathonourablepost.Inthenarrowestpartofthevalley,onthesouthside,wasagreatcliffofrock,risingsheer,ofsmoothandevensurface.Hereonweregravencertaincabalisticsigns,andmanyfiguresofmenandanimals,fishes,reptilesandbirds;sunsandstars;andmanyquaintsymbols.Someoftheselatterweredisjointedlimbsandfeatures,suchasarmsandlegs,fingers,eyes,noses,ears,andlips.MysterioussymbolswhichwillpuzzletheRecordingAngeltointerpretattheJudgmentDay.Theclifffacedexactlynorth.Therewassomethingaboutitsostrange,andsodifferentfromtheothercarvedrockswhichIhadvisited,thatIcalledahaltandspentthedayinexaminingtherockfrontaswellasIcouldwithmytelescope.TheEgyptiansofmycompanywereterriblyafraid,andusedeverykindofpersuasiontoinducemetopasson.