Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок

           Inanevenvoice,asthoughcommencingexactlywherehehadleftoff,heresumedhisargument:

           "Theotherhornofthedilemmaisadifferentaffairaltogether;andifweonceenteronitwemustleaveeverythingintheshapeofscienceandexperiencebehindus.Iconfessthatithasitsfascinationsforme;thoughateverynewthoughtIfindmyselfromancinginawaythatmakesmepullupsuddenlyandlookfactsresolutelyintheface.Isometimeswonderwhethertheinfluenceoremanationfromthesick-roomattimesaffectsmeasitdidtheothers—theDetective,forinstance.Ofcourseitmaybethatifitisanythingchemical,anydrug,forexample,invaporealform,itseffectsmaybecumulative.Butthen,whatcouldtherebethatcouldproducesuchaneffect?Theroomis,Iknow,fullofmummysmell;andnowonder,withsomanyrelicsfromthetomb,letalonetheactualmummyofthatanimalwhichSilvioattacked.Bytheway,Iamgoingtotesthimtomorrow;Ihavebeenonthetraceofamummycat,andamtogetpossessionofitinthemorning.WhenIbringithereweshallfindoutifitbeafactthatracialinstinctcansurviveafewthousandyearsinthegrave.However,togetbacktothesubjectinhand.Theseverymummysmellsarisefromthepresenceofsubstances,andcombinationsofsubstances,whichtheEgyptianpriests,whowerethelearnedmenandscientistsoftheirtime,foundbytheexperienceofcenturiestobestrongenoughtoarrestthenaturalforcesofdecay.