Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок
Chapter 8
Therewassuchabewilderingamountandvarietyofobjectsthatwecouldonlyglanceatmostofthem;butaswewentalongwearrangedthatweshouldtakethemseriatim,daybyday,andexaminethemmoreclosely.InthehallwasasortofbigframeoffloriatedsteelworkwhichMargaretsaidherfatherusedforliftingtheheavystonelidsofthesarcophagi.Itwasnotheavyandcouldbemovedabouteasilyenough.Byaidofthisweraisedthecoversinturnandlookedattheendlessseriesofhieroglyphicpicturescutinmostofthem.InspiteofherprofessionofignoranceMargaretknewagooddealaboutthem;heryearoflifewithherfatherhadhadunconsciouslyitsdailyandhourlylesson.Shewasaremarkablycleverandacute-mindedgirl,andwithaprodigiousmemory;sothatherstoreofknowledge,gatheredunthinkinglybitbybit,hadgrowntoproportionsthatmanyascholarmighthaveenvied.
Andyetitwasallsonaiveandunconscious;sogirlishandsimple.Shewassofreshinherviewsandideas,andhadsolittlethoughtofself,thatinhercompanionshipIforgotforthetimeallthetroublesandmysterieswhichenmeshedthehouse;andIfeltlikeaboyagain....
ThemostinterestingofthesarcophagiwereundoubtedlythethreeinMr.Trelawny’sroom.Ofthese,twowereofdarkstone,oneofporphyryandtheotherofasortofironstone.Thesewerewroughtwithsomehieroglyphs.Butthethirdwasstrikinglydifferent.
