Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Jew's Breastplate
ThroughmylittlepeepholeIemployedthehoursinstudyingeveryspecimen,fromthehugemummy-casewhichleanedagainstthewalltothoseveryjewelswhichhadbroughtusthere,gleamingandsparklingintheirglasscaseimmediatelybeneathus.Therewasmuchpreciousgold-workandmanyvaluablestonesscatteredthroughthenumerouscases,butthosewonderfultwelvewhichmadeuptheurimandthummimglowedandburnedwitharadiancewhichfareclipsedtheothers.Istudiedinturnthetomb-picturesofSicara,thefriezesfromKarnak,thestatuesofMemphis,andtheinscriptionsofThebes,butmyeyeswouldalwayscomebacktothatwonderfulJewishrelic,andmymindtothesingularmysterywhichsurroundedit.Iwaslostinthethoughtofitwhenmycompanionsuddenlydrewhisbreathsharplyin,andseizedmyarminaconvulsivegrip.AtthesameinstantIsawwhatitwaswhichhadexcitedhim.
Ihavesaidthatagainstthewall—ontheright-handsideofthedoorway(theright-handsideaswelookedatit,buttheleftasoneentered)—therestoodalargemummy-case.Toourunutterableamazementitwasslowlyopening.Gradually,graduallythelidwasswingingback,andtheblackslitwhichmarkedtheopeningwasbecomingwiderandwider.Sogentlyandcarefullywasitdonethatthemovementwasalmostimperceptible.Then,aswebreathlesslywatchedit,awhitethinhandappearedattheopening,pushingbackthepaintedlid,thenanotherhand,andfinallyaface—afacewhichwasfamiliartousboth,thatofProfessorAndreas.
