Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок
Chapter 12
ThePloughwashighintheheavens,andbothitsstarsandthePoleStarwerestraightoppositethewindow.Ipulledthetablewiththecofferoutintothelight,andshiftedituntilthetranslucentpatcheswereinthedirectionofthestars.Instantlytheboxbegantoglow,asyousawitunderthelamps,thoughbutslightly.Iwaitedandwaited;buttheskycloudedover,andthelightdiedaway.SoIgotwiresandlamps—youknowhowoftenIusetheminexperiments—andtriedtheeffectofelectriclight.Ittookmesometimetogetthelampsproperlyplaced,sothattheywouldcorrespondtothepartsofthestone,butthemomentIgotthemrightthewholethingbegantoglowasyouhaveseenit.
"’Icouldgetnofurther,however.Therewasevidentlysomethingwanting.Allatonceitcametomethatiflightcouldhavesomeeffectthereshouldbeinthetombsomemeansofproducinglight,fortherecouldnotbestarlightintheMummyPitinthecavern.Thenthewholethingseemedtobecomeclear.Onthebloodstonetable,whichhasahollowcarvedinitstop,intowhichthebottomofthecofferfits,IlaidtheMagicCoffer;andIatoncesawthattheoddprotuberancessocarefullywroughtinthesubstanceofthestonecorrespondedinawaytothestarsintheconstellation.These,then,weretoholdlights.
"’Eureka!’Icried.’Allwewantnowisthelamps.’"Itriedplacingtheelectriclightson,orcloseto,theprotuberances.Buttheglownevercametothestone.