Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок

           "Father’sinstructionsseemveryuncompromising."Thenafterapauseshewenton:"Butofcourseunderthecircumstancesanythingthatistobeultimatelyforhisgoodmustbedone.Isupposetherecan’tbeanythingveryparticularaboutthemummyofacat."

           DoctorWinchestersaidnothing.Hesatrigid,withsogravealookonhisfacethathisextragravitypassedontome;andinitsenlighteningperturbationIbegantorealisemorethanIhadyetdonethestrangenessofthecaseinwhichIwasnowsodeeplyconcerned.Whenoncethisthoughthadbeguntherewasnoendtoit.Indeeditgrew,andblossomed,andreproduceditselfinathousanddifferentways.Theroomandallinitgavegroundsforstrangethoughts.Thereweresomanyancientrelicsthatunconsciouslyonewastakenbacktostrangelandsandstrangetimes.Thereweresomanymummiesormummyobjects,roundwhichthereseemedtoclingforeverthepenetratingodoursofbitumen,andspicesandgums—"NardandCircassia’sbalmysmells"—thatonewasunabletoforgetthepast.Ofcourse,therewasbutlittlelightintheroom,andthatcarefullyshaded;sothattherewasnoglareanywhere.Noneofthatdirectlightwhichcanmanifestitselfasapoweroranentity,andsomakeforcompanionship.Theroomwasalargeone,andloftyinproportiontoitssize.Initsvastnesswasplaceforamultitudeofthingsnotoftenfoundinabedchamber.Infarcornersoftheroomwereshadowsofuncannyshape.