Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

           Aftersomefortyorfiftystepscutinawindingpassage,wecametoagreatcavewhosefurtherendtaperedawayintoblackness.Itwasahugeplace,dimlylitbyafewirregularslitsofeccentricshape.Manifestlythesewerefaultsintherockwhichwouldreadilyallowthewindowsbedisguised.Closetoeachofthemwasahangingshutterwhichcouldbeeasilyswungacrossbymeansofadanglingrope.Thesoundoftheceaselessbeatofthewavescameupmuffledfromfarbelow.Mr.Trelawnyatoncebegantospeak:

           "ThisisthespotwhichIhavechosen,asthebestIknow,forthesceneofourGreatExperiment.InahundreddifferentwaysitfulfilstheconditionswhichIamledtobelieveareprimarywithregardtosuccess.Here,weare,andshallbe,asisolatedasQueenTeraherselfwouldhavebeeninherrockytombintheValleyoftheSorcerer,andstillinarockycavern.Forgoodorillwemustherestandbyourchances,andabidebyresults.IfwearesuccessfulweshallbeabletoletinontheworldofmodernsciencesuchafloodoflightfromtheOldWorldaswillchangeeveryconditionofthoughtandexperimentandpractice.Ifwefail,theneventheknowledgeofourattemptwilldiewithus.Forthis,andallelsewhichmaycome,Ibelieveweareprepared!"Hepaused.Noonespoke,butweallbowedourheadsgravelyinacquiescence.