Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок
Chapter 12
Igotapieceofwood,and,standingatasafedistance,pressedwiththeendofituponthestar.
"Instantlythestoneflewback.Thehiddenfigurewithindartedforwardandthrustoutitslance.Thenitroseupanddisappeared.IthoughtImightnowsafelypressonthesevenstars;anddidso.Againthestonerolledback;andthe’Treasurer’flashedbytohishiddenlair.
"Irepeatedbothexperimentsseveraltimes;withalwaysthesameresult.Ishouldhavelikedtoexaminethemechanismofthatfigureofsuchmalignantmobility;butitwasnotpossiblewithoutsuchtoolsascouldnoteasilybehad.Itmightbenecessarytocutintoawholesectionoftherock.SomedayIhopetogoback,properlyequipped,andattemptit.
"Perhapsyoudonotknowthattheentrancetoaserdabisalmostalwaysverynarrow;sometimesahandcanhardlybeinserted.TwothingsIlearnedfromthisserdab.Thefirstwasthatthelamps,iflampsatalltherehadbeen,couldnothavebeenoflargesize;andsecondly,thattheywouldbeinsomewayassociatedwithHathor,whosesymbol,thehawkinasquarewiththerighttopcornerformingasmallersquare,wascutinreliefonthewallwithin,andcolouredthebrightvermilionwhichwehadfoundontheStele.HathoristhegoddesswhoinEgyptianmythologyanswerstoVenusoftheGreeks,inasfarassheisthepresidingdeityofbeautyandpleasure.IntheEgyptianmythology,however,eachGodhasmanyforms;andinsomeaspectsHathorhastodowiththeideaofresurrection.
