Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок
Chapter 15
Withoutanalysingvariousrayswemay,Ithink,takeitforgrantedthattherearedifferentqualitiesandpowersoflight;andthisgreatfieldofscientificinvestigationisalmostvirginsoil.Weknowasyetsolittleofnaturalforces,thatimaginationneedsetnoboundstoitsflightsinconsideringthepossibilitiesofthefuture.Withinbutafewyearswehavemadesuchdiscoveriesastwocenturiesagowouldhavesentthediscoverer’stotheflames.Theliquefactionofoxygen;theexistenceofradium,ofhelium,ofpolonium,ofargon;thedifferentpowersofRoentgenandCathodeandBequerelrays.Andaswemayfinallyprovethattherearedifferentkindsandqualitiesoflight,sowemayfindthatcombustionmayhaveitsownpowersofdifferentiation;thattherearequalitiesinsomeflamesnon-existentinothers.Itmaybethatsomeoftheessentialconditionsofsubstancearecontinuous,eveninthedestructionoftheirbases.LastnightIwasthinkingofthis,andreasoningthatastherearecertainqualitiesinsomeoilswhicharenotinothers,sotheremaybecertainsimilarorcorrespondingqualitiesorpowersinthecombinationsofeach.Isupposewehaveallnoticedsometimeorotherthatthelightofcolzaoilisnotquitethesameasthatofparaffin,orthattheflamesofcoalgasandwhaleoilaredifferent.Theyfinditsointhelight-houses!AllatonceitoccurredtomethattheremightbesomespecialvirtueintheoilwhichhadbeenfoundinthejarswhenQueenTera’stombwasopened.
