Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд
Chapter 10
"Thatnightaswecamped,oneofthemenonlyreturned,sayingthatalionofthedeserthadkilledhiscompanionafterthattheyhadburiedthedeadmaninadeepsandwithoutthevalley,andhadcoveredthespotwherehelaywithmanygreatrocks,sothatjackalsorotherpreyingbeastsmightnotdighimupagainasistheirwont.
"Later,inthelightofthefireroundwhichthemensatorlay,Isawhimexhibittohisfellowssomethingwhitewhichtheyseemedtoregardwithspecialaweandreverence.SoIdrewnearsilently,andsawthatitwasnoneotherthanthewhitehandofthemummywhichhadlainprotectingtheJewelinthegreatsarcophagus.IheardtheBedouintellhowhehadfounditonthebodyofhimwhohadfallenfromthecliff.Therewasnomistakingit,fortherewerethesevenfingerswhichIhadnotedbefore.ThismanmusthavewrencheditoffthedeadbodywhilsthischiefandIwereotherwiseengaged;andfromtheaweoftheothersIdoubtednotthathehadhopedtouseitasanAmulet,orcharm.Whereasifpowersithad,theywerenotforhimwhohadtakenitfromthedead;sincehisdeathfollowedharduponhistheft.AlreadyhisAmulethadhadanawesomebaptism;forthewristofthedeadhandwasstainedwithredasthoughithadbeendippedinrecentblood.
"ThatnightIwasincertainfearlestthereshouldbesomeviolencedonetome;forifthepoordeadhandwassovaluedasacharm,whatmustbetheworthinsuchwiseoftherareJewelwhichithadguarded.
