Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок

           Again,theseoldmiracle-workersprobablyunderstoodsomepracticalwayofusingotherforces,andamongstthemtheforcesoflightthatatpresentwedonotdreamof.ButofthismatterIshallspeaklater.ThatMagicCofferofQueenTeraisprobablyamagicboxinmorewaysthanone.Itmay—possiblyitdoes—containforcesthatwewotnotof.Wecannotopenit;itmustbeclosedfromwithin.Howthenwasitclosed?Itisacofferofsolidstone,ofamazinghardness,morelikeajewelthananordinarymarble,withalidequallysolid;andyetallissofinelywroughtthatthefinesttoolmadetodaycannotbeinsertedundertheflange.Howwasitwroughttosuchperfection?Howwasthestonesochosenthatthosetranslucentpatchesmatchtherelationsofthesevenstarsoftheconstellation?Howisit,orfromwhatcause,thatwhenthestarlightshinesonit,itglowsfromwithin—thatwhenIfixthelampsinsimilarformtheglowgrowsgreaterstill;andyettheboxisirresponsivetoordinarylighthowevergreat?Itellyouthatthatboxhidessomegreatmysteryofscience.Weshallfindthatthelightwillopenitinsomeway:eitherbystrikingonsomesubstance,sensitiveinapeculiarwaytoitseffect,orinreleasingsomegreaterpower.Ionlytrustthatinourignorancewemaynotsobunglethingsastodoharmtoitsmechanism;andsodeprivetheknowledgeofourtimeofalessonhandeddown,asbyamiracle,throughnearlyfivethousandyears.