Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок

           PerhapsyoucantellmewhatthatfigureofPtah-Seker-AusarholdingtheTetwrappedintheSceptreofPapyrusmeans?Didyoueverseeitbefore;evenintheBritishMuseum,orGizeh,orScotlandYard?"

           Hebrokeoffsuddenly;andthenwentoninquiteadifferentway:

           "Lookhere!itseemstomethatthethick-headedidiotismyself!Ibegyourpardon,oldfellow,formyrudeness.IquitelostmytemperatthesuggestionthatIdonotknowtheselamps.Youdon’tmind,doyou?"TheDetectiveansweredheartily:

           "Lord,sir,notI.IliketoseefolksangrywhenIamdealingwiththem,whethertheyareonmysideortheother.Itiswhenpeopleareangrythatyoulearnthetruthfromthem.Ikeepcool;thatismytrade!Doyouknow,youhavetoldmemoreaboutthoselampsinthepasttwominutesthanwhenyoufilledmeupwithdetailsofhowtoidentifythem."

           Mr.Corbeckgrunted;hewasnotpleasedathavinggivenhimselfaway.Allatonceheturnedtomeandsaidinhisnaturalway:

           "Nowtellmehowyougotthemback?"IwassosurprisedthatIsaidwithoutthinking:

           "Wedidn’tgetthemback!"Thetravellerlaughedopenly.

           "Whatonearthdoyoumean?"heasked."Youdidn’tgetthemback!Why,theretheyarebeforeyoureyes!Wefoundyoulookingatthemwhenwecamein."BythistimeIhadrecoveredmysurpriseandhadmywitsaboutme.

           "Why,that’sjustit,"Isaid.