Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд

           "Well,aftermuchwanderingandtryingeverywindingintheinterminablejumbleofhills,wecameatlastatnightfallonjustsuchavalleyasVanHuynhaddescribed.Avalleywithhigh,steepcliffs;narrowinginthecentre,andwideningouttotheeasternandwesternends.Atdaylightwewereoppositethecliffandcouldeasilynotetheopeninghighupintherock,andthehieroglyphicfigureswhichwereevidentlyintendedoriginallytoconcealit.

           "ButthesignswhichhadbaffledVanHuynandthoseofhistime—andlater,werenosecretstous.Thehostofscholarswhohavegiventheirbrainsandtheirlivestothiswork,hadwrestedopenthemysteriousprison-houseofEgyptianlanguage.Onthehewnfaceoftherockycliffwe,whohadlearnedthesecrets,couldreadwhattheThebanpriesthoodhadhadthereinscribednearlyfiftycenturiesbefore.

           "Forthattheexternalinscriptionwastheworkofthepriesthood—andahostilepriesthoodatthat—therecouldbenolivingdoubt.Theinscriptionontherock,writteninhieroglyphic,ranthus:

           "’HithertheGodscomenotatanysummons.The"NamelessOne"hasinsultedthemandisforeveralone.Gonotnigh,lesttheirvengeancewitheryouaway!’

           "Thewarningmusthavebeenaterriblypotentoneatthetimeitwaswrittenandforthousandsofyearsafterwards;evenwhenthelanguageinwhichitwasgivenhadbecomeadeadmysterytothepeopleoftheland.Thetraditionofsuchaterrorlastslongerthanitscause.