Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок
Chapter 12
Hepointedtooneofthesheets.
"’HerearethetranscriptsfromtheChapelatthesouthandtheeast.Ihavebeenlookingoverthewritingsagain;andIfindthatinsevenplacesroundthiscornerarethesymbolsoftheconstellationwhichwecallthePlough,whichQueenTeraheldtoruleherbirthandherdestiny.Ihaveexaminedthemcarefully,andInoticethattheyareallrepresentationsofthegroupingofthestars,astheconstellationappearsindifferentpartsoftheheavens.Theyareallastronomicallycorrect;andasintherealskythePointersindicatethePoleStar,sotheseallpointtoonespotinthewallwhereusuallytheserdabistobefound!’
"’Bravo!’Ishouted,forsuchapieceofreasoningdemandedapplause.Heseemedpleasedashewenton:
"’Whenyouareinthetomb,examinethisspot.Thereisprobablysomespringormechanicalcontrivanceforopeningthereceptacle.Whatitmaybe,thereisnouseguessing.Youwillknowwhatbesttodo,whenyouareonthespot.’
"IstartedthenextweekforEgypt;andneverrestedtillIstoodagaininthetomb.Ihadfoundsomeofouroldfollowing;andwasfairlywellprovidedwithhelp.Thecountrywasnowinaconditionverydifferenttothatinwhichithadbeensixteenyearsbefore;therewasnoneedfortroopsorarmedmen.
"Iclimbedtherockfacealone.Therewasnodifficulty,forinthatfineclimatethewoodworkoftheladderwasstilldependable.