Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок

           MorethanonceasIthought,themultitudinouspresenceofthedeadandthepasttooksuchholdonmethatIcaughtmyselflookingroundfearfullyasthoughsomestrangepersonalityorinfluencewaspresent.EventhemanifestpresenceofDoctorWinchesterandMissTrelawnycouldnotaltogethercomfortorsatisfymeatsuchmoments.ItwaswithadistinctsenseofreliefthatIsawanewpersonalityintheroomintheshapeofNurseKennedy.Therewasnodoubtthatthatbusiness-like,self-reliant,capableyoungwomanaddedanelementofsecuritytosuchwildimaginingsasmyown.Shehadaqualityofcommonsensethatseemedtopervadeeverythingaroundher,asthoughitweresomekindofemanation.UptothatmomentIhadbeenbuildingfanciesaroundthesickman;sothatfinallyallabouthim,includingmyself,hadbecomeinvolvedinthem,orenmeshed,orsaturated,or...Butnowthatshehadcome,herelapsedintohisproperperspectiveasapatient;theroomwasasick-room,andtheshadowslosttheirfearsomequality.TheonlythingwhichitcouldnotaltogetherabrogatewasthestrangeEgyptiansmell.Youmayputamummyinaglasscaseandhermeticallysealitsothatnocorrodingaircangetwithin;butallthesameitwillexhaleitsodour.Onemightthinkthatfourorfivethousandyearswouldexhausttheolfactoryqualitiesofanything;butexperienceteachesusthatthesesmellsremain,andthattheirsecretsareunknowntous.Todaytheyareasmuchmysteriesastheywerewhentheembalmersputthebodyinthebathofnatron...