Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд
Chapter 10
Istayedtilllateintheafternoon,bywhichtimeIhadfailedtomakeoutarighttheentryofanytomb,forIsuspectedthatsuchwasthepurposeofthesculptureoftherock.Bythistimethemenwererebellious;andIhadtoleavethevalleyifIdidnotwishmywholeretinuetodesert.ButIsecretlymadeupmymindtodiscoverthetomb,andexploreit.TothisendIwentfurtherintothemountains,whereImetwithanArabSheikwhowaswillingtotakeservicewithme.TheArabswerenotboundbythesamesuperstitiousfearsastheEgyptians;SheikAbuSomeandhisfollowingwerewillingtotakeapartintheexplorations.
"WhenIreturnedtothevalleywiththeseBedouins,Imadeefforttoclimbthefaceoftherock,butfailed,itbeingofoneimpenetrablesmoothness.Thestone,generallyflatandsmoothbynature,hadbeenchiselledtocompleteness.Thattherehadbeenprojectingstepswasmanifest,forthereremained,untouchedbythewondrousclimateofthatstrangeland,themarksofsawandchiselandmalletwherethestepshadbeencutorbrokenaway.
"Beingthusbaffledofwinningthetombfrombelow,andbeingunprovidedwithladderstoscale,Ifoundawaybymuchcircuitousjourneyingtothetopofthecliff.ThenceIcausedmyselftobeloweredbyropes,tillIhadinvestigatedthatportionoftherockfacewhereinIexpectedtofindtheopening.Ifoundthattherewasanentrance,closedhoweverbyagreatstoneslab.Thiswascutintherockmorethanahundredfeetup,beingtwo-thirdstheheightofthecliff.
