Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок
Chapter 17
MyonlyfearisthatImayhavemisinterpretedsomeofhercrypticinstructions,orhaveomittedoroverlookedsomething.ButofthisIamcertain;IhaveleftundonenothingthatIcanimaginerighttobedone;andIhavedonenothingthatIknowoftoclashwithQueenTera’sarrangement.IwantherGreatExperimenttosucceed.TothisendIhavenotsparedlabourortimeormoney—ormyself.Ihaveenduredhardship,andbraveddanger.Allmybrains;allmyknowledgeandlearning,suchastheyare;allmyendeavourssuchastheycanbe,havebeen,are,andshallbedevotedtothisend,tillweeitherwinorlosethegreatstakethatweplayfor."
"Thegreatstake?"Irepeated;"theresurrectionofthewoman,andthewoman’slife?Theproofthatresurrectioncanbeaccomplished;bymagicalpowers;byscientificknowledge;orbyuseofsomeforcewhichatpresenttheworlddoesnotknow?"
ThenMr.Trelawnyspokeoutthehopesofhisheartwhichuptonowhehadindicatedratherthanexpressed.OnceortwiceIhadheardCorbeckspeakofthefieryenergyofhisyouth;but,saveforthenoblewordsofMargaretwhenshehadspokenofQueenTera’shope—whichcomingfromhisdaughtermadepossibleabeliefthatherpowerwasinsomesenseduetoheredity—Ihadseennomarkedsignofit.Butnowhiswords,sweepingbeforethemlikeatorrentallantagonisticthought,gavemeanewideaoftheman.
