Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок

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           ThenexttoappearwasSergeantDaw,whowentquietlyintotheroomandtooktheseatvacatedbytheDoctor.Istillremainedoutside;buteveryfewminuteslookedintotheroom.Thiswasratheraformthanamatterofutility,fortheroomwassodarkthatcomingevenfromthedimly-lightedcorridoritwashardtodistinguishanything.

           Alittlebeforetwelveo’clockMissTrelawnycamefromherroom.Beforecomingtoherfather’sshewentintothatoccupiedbyNurseKennedy.Afteracoupleofminutesshecameout,looking,Ithought,atriflemorecheerful.Shehadherrespiratorinherhand,butbeforeputtingiton,askedmeifanythingspecialhadoccurredsinceshehadgonetoliedown.Iansweredinawhisper—therewasnoloudtalkinginthehousetonight—thatallwassafe,waswell.Shethenputonherrespirator,andImine;andweenteredtheroom.TheDetectiveandtheNurseroseup,andwetooktheirplaces.SergeantDawwasthelasttogoout;heclosedthedoorbehindhimaswehadarranged.

           ForawhileIsatquiet,myheartbeating.Theplacewasgrimlydark.Theonlylightwasafaintonefromthetopofthelampwhichthrewawhitecircleonthehighceiling,excepttheemeraldsheenoftheshadeasthelighttookitsunderedges.Eventhelightonlyseemedtoemphasizetheblacknessoftheshadows.Thesepresentlybegantoseem,asonlastnight,tohaveasentienceoftheirown.