Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд
Chapter 12
Thosewhichhaveasyetbeenexaminedbearnoinscriptions,andcontainonlyeffigiesofthedeadforwhomthetombwasmade."Thenhewentonwithhisnarrative:
"Trelawny,whenhesawthatIhadcaughthismeaning,wentonspeakingwithsomethingofhisoldenthusiasm:
"’Ihavecometotheconclusionthattheremustbeaserdab—asecretone.Weweredullnottohavethoughtofitbefore.Wemighthaveknownthatthemakerofsuchatomb—awoman,whohadshowninotherwayssuchasenseofbeautyandcompleteness,andwhohadfinishedeverydetailwithafemininerichnessofelaboration—wouldnothaveneglectedsuchanarchitecturalfeature.Evenifithadnotitsownspecialsignificanceinritual,shewouldhavehaditasanadornment.Othershadhadit,andshelikedherownworktobecomplete.Dependuponit,therewas—thereis—aserdab;andthatinit,whenitisdiscovered,weshallfindthelamps.Ofcourse,hadweknownthenwhatwenowknoworatalleventssurmise,thattherewerelamps,wemighthavesuspectedsomehiddenspot,somecachet.IamgoingtoaskyoutogoouttoEgyptagain;toseekthetomb;tofindtheserdab;andtobringbackthelamps!’"
"’AndifIfindthereisnoserdab;orifdiscoveringitIfindnolampsinit,whatthen?’Hesmiledgrimlywiththatsaturninesmileofhis,sorarelyseenforyearspast,ashespokeslowly:
"’Thenyouwillhavetohustletillyoufindthem!’
"’Good!’Isaid.