Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

           IdaresayIwassomewhatmoreeffusiveinmywordsandmymannerasIwenton.Icertainlyfeltthatway.

           "Onethingwegainaswegrowolder:touseouragejudiciously!Ihavehadmuchexperience.Ihavefoughtforitandworkedforitallmylife;andIfeltthatIwasjustifiedinusingit.IventuredtoaskMissTrelawnytocountonmeasafriend;toletmeservehershouldoccasionarise.Shepromisedmethatshewould.Ihadlittleideathatmychanceofservinghershouldcomesosoonorinsuchaway;butthatverynightyouwerestrickendown.Inherdesolationandanxietyshesentforme!"Ipaused.HecontinuedtolookatmeasIwenton:

           "Whenyourletterofinstructionswasfound,Iofferedmyservices.Theywereaccepted,asyouknow."

           "Andthesedays,howdidtheypassforyou?"Thequestionstartledme.TherewasinitsomethingofMargaret’sownvoiceandmanner;somethingsogreatlyresemblingherlightermomentsthatitbroughtoutallthemasculinityinme.IfeltmoresureofmygroundnowasIsaid:

           "Thesedays,sir,despitealltheirharrowinganxiety,despiteallthepaintheyheldforthegirlwhomIgrewtolovemoreandmorewitheachpassinghour,havebeenthehappiestofmylife!"Hekeptsilenceforalongtime;solongthat,asIwaitedforhimtospeak,withmyheartbeating,Ibegantowonderifmyfranknesshadbeentooeffusive.Atlasthesaid:

           "Isupposeitishardtosaysomuchvicariously.