Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок
Chapter 1
Withanundertoneofsadnessshemademefeelhowinthatspacioushomeeachoneofthehouseholdwasisolatedbythepersonalmagnificenceofherfatherandherself;thatthereconfidencehadnoaltar,andsympathynoshrine;andthatthereevenherfather’sfacewasasdistantastheoldcountrylifeseemednow.Oncemore,thewisdomofmymanhoodandtheexperienceofmyyearslaidthemselvesatthegirl’sfeet.Itwasseeminglytheirowndoing;fortheindividual"I"hadnosayinthematter,butonlyjustobeyedimperativeorders.Andonceagaintheflyingsecondsmultipliedthemselvesendlessly.Foritisinthearcanaofdreamsthatexistencesmergeandrenewthemselves,changeandyetkeepthesame—likethesoulofamusicianinafugue.Andsomemoryswooned,againandagain,insleep.
Itseemsthatthereisnevertobeanyperfectrest.EveninEdenthesnakerearsitsheadamongtheladenboughsoftheTreeofKnowledge.Thesilenceofthedreamlessnightisbrokenbytheroaroftheavalanche;thehissingofsuddenfloods;theclangingoftheenginebellmarkingitssweepthroughasleepingAmericantown;theclankingofdistantpaddlesoverthesea....Whateveritis,itisbreakingthecharmofmyEden.Thecanopyofgreeneryaboveus,starredwithdiamond-pointsoflight,seemstoquiverintheceaselessbeatofpaddles;andtherestlessbellseemsasthoughitwouldnevercease....
AllatoncethegatesofSleepwerethrownwideopen,andmywakingearstookinthecauseofthedisturbingsounds.
