Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок

           Heliftedafoldattheneck,andIknewfromthequickintakeofhisbreaththatsomethinghadsurprisedhim.Heliftedyetalittlemore;andthenhe,too,stoodbackandpointed,saying:

           "Margaretisright!Thatdressisnotintendedtobewornbythedead!See!herfigureisnotrobedinit.Itisbutlaiduponher."HeliftedthezoneofjewelsandhandedittoMargaret.Thenwithbothhandsheraisedtheamplerobe,andlaiditacrossthearmswhichsheextendedinanaturalimpulse.Thingsofsuchbeautyweretooprecioustobehandledwithanybutthegreatestcare.

           Weallstoodawedatthebeautyofthefigurewhich,saveforthefacecloth,nowlaycompletelynudebeforeus.Mr.Trelawnybentover,andwithhandsthattrembledslightly,raisedthislinenclothwhichwasofthesamefinenessastherobe.AshestoodbackandthewholegloriousbeautyoftheQueenwasrevealed,Ifeltarushofshamesweepoverme.Itwasnotrightthatweshouldbethere,gazingwithirreverenteyesonsuchuncladbeauty:itwasindecent;itwasalmostsacrilegious!Andyetthewhitewonderofthatbeautifulformwassomethingtodreamof.Itwasnotlikedeathatall;itwaslikeastatuecarveninivorybythehandofaPraxiteles.Therewasnothingofthathorribleshrinkagewhichdeathseemstoeffectinamoment.Therewasnoneofthewrinkledtoughnesswhichseemstobealeadingcharacteristicofmostmummies.Therewasnottheshrunkenattenuationofabodydriedinthesand,asIhadseenbeforeinmuseums.