Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

           Itriedoncetoremonstratewithhimaboutstayingupsolate,asitcannotbegoodforhim;butIneverventuredtorepeattheexperiment.Youknowhowsternandcoldhecanbe—atleastyoumayrememberwhatItoldyouabouthim;andwhenheispoliteinthismoodheisdreadful.WhenheisangryIcanbearitmuchbetter;butwhenheisslowanddeliberate,andthesideofhismouthliftsuptoshowthesharpteeth,IthinkIfeel—well,Idon’tknowhow!LastnightIgotupsoftlyandstoletothedoor,forIreallyfearedtodisturbhim.Therewasnotanynoiseofmoving,andnokindofcryatall;buttherewasaqueerkindofdraggingsound,andaslow,heavybreathing.Oh!itwasdreadful,waitingthereinthedarkandthesilence,andfearing—fearingIdidnotknowwhat!

           "AtlastItookmycourageadeuxmains,andturningthehandleassoftlyasIcould,Iopenedthedooratinybit.Itwasquitedarkwithin;Icouldjustseetheoutlineofthewindows.Butinthedarknessthesoundofbreathing,becomingmoredistinct,wasappalling.AsIlistened,thiscontinued;buttherewasnoothersound.Ipushedthedooropenallatonce.Iwasafraidtoopenitslowly;Ifeltasiftheremightbesomedreadfulthingbehinditreadytopounceoutonme!ThenIswitchedontheelectriclight,andsteppedintotheroom.Ilookedfirstatthebed.Thesheetswereallcrumpledup,sothatIknewFatherhadbeeninbed;buttherewasagreatdarkredpatchinthecentreofthebed,andspreadingtotheedgeofit,thatmademyheartstandstill.