Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок

           Theunrollingofthemummycathadpreparedmesomewhatforit;butthiswassomuchlarger,andsoinfinitelymoreelaborate,thatitseemedadifferentthing.Moreover,inadditiontotheeverpresentsenseofdeathandhumanity,therewasafeelingofsomethingfinerinallthis.Thecathadbeenembalmedwithcoarsermaterials;here,all,whenoncetheoutercoveringswereremoved,wasmoredelicatelydone.Itseemedasifonlythefinestgumsandspiceshadbeenusedinthisembalming.Buttherewerethesamesurroundings,thesameattendantreddustandpungentpresenceofbitumen;therewasthesamesoundofrendingwhichmarkedthetearingawayofthebandages.Therewereanenormousnumberofthese,andtheirbulkwhenopenedwasgreat.Asthemenunrolledthem,Igrewmoreandmoreexcited.Ididnottakeapartinitmyself;MargarethadlookedatmegratefullyasIdrewback.Weclaspedhands,andheldeachotherhard.Astheunrollingwenton,thewrappingsbecamefiner,andthesmelllessladenwithbitumen,butmorepungent.Weall,Ithink,begantofeelitasthoughitcaughtortouchedusinsomespecialway.This,however,didnotinterferewiththework;itwentonuninterruptedly.Someoftheinnerwrappingsboresymbolsorpictures.Theseweredonesometimeswhollyinpalegreencolour,sometimesinmanycolours;butalwayswithaprevalenceofgreen.NowandagainMr.TrelawnyorMr.Corbeckwouldpointoutsomespecialdrawingbeforelayingthebandageonthepilebehindthem,whichkeptgrowingtoamonstrousheight.