Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок

           Ishouldadviseyou,mydearDaughter,seeingthatyouhavenorelativetoapplyto,togetsomefriendwhomyoucantrusttoeitherremainwithinthehousewhereinstantcommunicationcanbemade,ortocomenightlytoaidinthewatching,ortobewithincall.Suchfriendmaybeeithermaleorfemale;but,whicheveritmaybe,thereshouldbeaddedoneotherwatcherorattendantathandoftheoppositesex.Understand,thatitisoftheveryessenceofmywishthatthereshouldbe,awakeandexercisingthemselvestomypurposes,bothmasculineandfeminineintelligences.Oncemore,mydearMargaret,letmeimpressonyoutheneedforobservationandjustreasoningtoconclusions,howsoeverstrange.IfIamtakenillorinjured,thiswillbenoordinaryoccasion;andIwishtowarnyou,sothatyourguardingmaybecomplete.

           "Nothinginmyroom—Ispeakofthecurios—mustberemovedordisplacedinanyway,orforanycausewhatever.Ihaveaspecialreasonandaspecialpurposeintheplacingofeach;sothatanymovingofthemwouldthwartmyplans.

           "Shouldyouwantmoneyorcounselinanything,Mr.Marvinwillcarryoutyourwishes;tothewhichhehasmyfullinstructions."

           "ABELTRELAWNY."

           Ireadtheletterasecondtimebeforespeaking,forIfearedtobetraymyself.Thechoiceofafriendmightbeamomentousoccasionforme.Ihadalreadygroundforhope,thatshehadaskedmetohelpherinthefirstthroeofhertrouble;butlovemakesitsowndoubtings,andIfeared.