Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

           TrelawnyandNurseKennedy—andinlessdegreeonSergeantDaw—hadnottouchedme.Therespiratorhadbeenofsomeservice,thoughithadnotkeptoffthetragedywhosedireevidenceswerebeforeme.Icanunderstandnow—Icouldunderstandeventhen—thefright,addedtothatwhichhadgonebefore,whichmyappearancemusthaveevoked.Ihadstillontherespirator,whichcoveredmouthandnose;myhairhadbeentossedinmysleep.Comingsuddenlyforward,thusenwrappedanddishevelled,inthathorrifiedcrowd,Imusthavehad,inthestrangemixtureoflights,anextraordinaryandterrifyingappearance.ItwaswellthatIrecognisedallthisintimetoavertanothercatastrophe;forthehalf-dazed,mechanically-actingDetectiveputinthecartridgesandhadraisedhisrevolvertoshootatmewhenIsucceededinwrenchingofftherespiratorandshoutingtohimtoholdhishand.Inthisalsoheactedmechanically;thered,half-awakeeyeshadnotinthemeventhentheintentionofconsciousaction.Thedanger,however,wasaverted.Thereliefofthesituation,strangelyenough,cameinasimplefashion.Mrs.Grant,seeingthatheryoungmistresshadononlyhernightdress,hadgonetofetchadressing-gown,whichshenowthrewoverher.Thissimpleactbroughtusallbacktotheregionoffact.Withalongbreath,oneandallseemedtodevotethemselvestothemostpressingmatterbeforeus,thatofstaunchingtheflowofbloodfromthearmofthewoundedman.Evenasthethoughtofactioncame,Irejoiced;forthebleedingwasveryproofthatMr.