Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

           Thenurseisthrownintoacatalepsy,andthewatchingfriend—thoughprotectedbyarespirator—intoadeepsleep.Eventhedetectiveissofarovercomewithsomephaseofstuporthathefiresoffhispistolinthesick-room,andcan’teventellwhathethoughthewasfiringat.Thatrespiratorofyoursistheonlythingthatseemstohaveabearingonthe’fact’sideoftheaffair.Thatyoudidnotloseyourheadastheothersdid—theeffectinsuchcasebeinginproportiontotheamountoftimeeachremainedintheroom—pointstotheprobabilitythatthestupefyingmediumwasnothypnotic,whateverelseitmayhavebeen.Butagain,thereisafactwhichiscontradictory.MissTrelawny,whowasintheroommorethananyofyou—forshewasinandoutallthetimeanddidhershareofpermanentwatchingalso—didnotseemtobeaffectedatall.Thiswouldshowthattheinfluence,whateveritis,doesnotaffectgenerally—unless,ofcourse,itwasthatshewasinsomewayinuredtoit.IfitshouldturnoutthatitbesomestrangeexhalationfromsomeofthoseEgyptiancurios,thatmightaccountforit;only,wearethenfacetofacewiththefactthatMr.Trelawny,whowasmostofallintheroom—who,infact,livedmorethanhalfhislifeinit—wasaffectedworstofall.Whatkindofinfluencecoulditbewhichwouldaccountforallthesedifferentandcontradictoryeffects?No!themoreIthinkofthisformofthedilemma,themoreIambewildered!Why,evenifitwerethattheattack,thephysicalattack,onMr.