Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

           Itmayhavebeenthatwhilsttheopinionsoftheothersadvanced,hisownstoodstill;buttheeffectwasanattitudewhichappearednegative,ifnotwhollyoneofnegation.

           AsforMargaret,sheseemedtobeinsomewayovercome.Eitheritwassomenewphaseoffeelingwithher,orelseshewastakingtheissuemoreseriouslythanshehadyetdone.Shewasgenerallymoreorlessdistraite,asthoughsunkinabrownstudy;fromthisshewouldrecoverherselfwithastart.Thiswasusuallywhenthereoccurredsomemarkedepisodeinthejourney,suchasstoppingatastation,orwhenthethunderousrumbleofcrossingaviaductwoketheechoesofthehillsorcliffsaroundus.Oneachsuchoccasionshewouldplungeintotheconversation,takingsuchapartinitastoshowthat,whateverhadbeenherabstractedthought,hersenseshadtakeninfullyallthathadgoneonaroundher.Towardsmyselfhermannerwasstrange.Sometimesitwasmarkedbyadistance,halfshy,halfhaughty,whichwasnewtome.Atothertimesthereweremomentsofpassioninlookandgesturewhichalmostmademedizzywithdelight.Little,however,ofamarkednaturetranspiredduringthejourney.Therewasbutoneepisodewhichhadinitanyelementofalarm,butaswewereallasleepatthetimeitdidnotdisturbus.Weonlylearneditfromacommunicativeguardinthemorning.WhilstrunningbetweenDawlishandTeignmouththetrainwasstoppedbyawarninggivenbysomeonewhomovedatorchtoandfrorightontheverytrack.