Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

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           "Her’astralbody’?Whatisthat,Father?Whatdoesthatmean?"TherewasakeennessinMargaret’svoiceassheaskedthequestionwhichsurprisedmealittle;butTrelawnysmiledasortofindulgentparentalsmile,whichcamethroughhisgrimsolemnitylikesunshinethroughariftedcloud,ashespoke:

           "Theastralbody,whichisapartofBuddhistbelief,longsubsequenttothetimeIspeakof,andwhichisanacceptedfactofmodernmysticism,haditsriseinAncientEgypt;atleast,sofarasweknow.Itisthatthegiftedindividualcanatwill,quickasthoughtitself,transferhisbodywhithersoeverhechooses,bythedissolutionandreincarnationofparticles.Intheancientbelieftherewereseveralpartsofahumanbeing.Youmayaswellknowthem;sothatyouwillunderstandmattersrelativetothemordependentonthemastheyoccur.

           "Firstthereisthe’Ka’,or’Double’,which,asDoctorBudgeexplains,maybedefinedas’anabstractindividualityofpersonality’whichwasimbuedwithallthecharacteristicattributesoftheindividualitrepresented,andpossessedanabsolutelyindependentexistence.Itwasfreetomovefromplacetoplaceonearthatwill;anditcouldenterintoheavenandholdconversewiththegods.Thentherewasthe’Ba’,or’soul’,whichdweltinthe’Ka’,andhadthepowerofbecomingcorporealorincorporealatwill;’ithadbothsubstanceandform....Ithadpowertoleavethetomb....Itcouldrevisitthebodyinthetomb...