The Jewel of Seven Stars by Bram Stoker (ebook and pdf reader .txt) 📖
- Author: Bram Stoker
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colour on a wondrous stone.
“All the walls of the chamber and the passage were carved with strange
writings in the uncanny form mentioned. The huge stone coffin or
sarcophagus in the deep pit was marvellously graven throughout with
signs. The Arab chief and two others who ventured into the tomb with
me, and who were evidently used to such grim explorations, managed to
take the cover from the sarcophagus without breaking it. At which they
wondered; for such good fortune, they said, did not usually attend such
efforst. Indeed they seemed not over careful; and did handle the
various furniture of the tomb with such little concern that, only for
its great strength and thickness, even the coffin itself might have been
injured. Which gave me much concern, for it was very beautifully
wrought of rare stone, such as I had no knowledge of. Much I grieved
that it were not possible to carry it away. But time and desert
journeyings forbade such; I could only take with me such small matters
as could be carried on the person.
“Within the sarcophagus was a body, manifestly of a woman, swathed with
many wrappings of linen, as is usual with all mummies. From certain
embroiderings thereon, I gathered that she was of high rank. Across the
breast was one hand, unwrapped. In the mummies which I had seen, the
arms and hands are within the wrappings, and certain adornments of wood,
shaped and painted to resemble arms and hands, lie outside the enwrapped
body.
“But this hand was strange to see, for it was the real hand of her who
lay enwrapped there; the arm projecting from the cerements being of
flesh, seemingly made as like marble in the process of embalming. Arm
and hand were of dusky white, being of the hue of ivory that hath lain
long in air. The skin and the nails were complete and whole, as though
the body had been placed for burial over night. I touched the hand and
moved it, the arm being something flexible as a live arm; though stiff
with long disuse, as are the arms of those faqueers which I have seen in
the Indees. There was, too, an added wonder that on this ancient hand
were no less than seven fingers, the same all being fine and long, and
of great beauty. Sooth to say, it made me shudder and my flesh creep to
touch that hand that had lain there undisturbed for so many thousands of
years, and yet was like unto living flesh. Underneath the hand, as
though guarded by it, lay a huge jewel of ruby; a great stone of
wondrous bigness, for the ruby is in the main a small jewel. This one
was of wondrous colour, being as of fine blood whereon the light
shineth. But its wonder lay not in its size or colour, though these
were, as I have said, of priceless rarity; but in that the light of it
shone from seven stars, each of seven points, as clearly as though the
stars were in reality there imprisoned. When that the hand was lifted,
the sight of that wondrous stone lying there struck me with a shock
almost to momentary paralysis. I stood gazing on it, as did those with
me, as though it were that faded head of the Gorgon Medusa with the
snakes in her hair, whose sight struck into stone those who beheld. So
strong was the feeling that I wanted to hurry away from the place. So,
too, those with me; therefore, taking this rare jewel, together with
certain amulets of strangeness and richness being wrought of
jewel-stones, I made haste to depart. I would have remained longer, and
made further research in the wrappings of the mummy, but that I feared
so to do. For it came to me all at once that I was in a desert place,
with strange men who were with me because they were not over-scrupulous.
That we were in a lone cavern of the dead, an hundred feet above the
ground, where none could find me were ill done to me, nor would any ever
seek. But in secret I determined that I would come again, though with
more secure following. Moreover, was I tempted to seek further, as in
examining the wrappings I saw many things of strange import in that
wondrous tomb; including a casket of eccentric shape made of some
strange stone, which methought might have contained other jewels,
inasmuch as it had secure lodgment in the great sarcophagus itself.
There was in the tomb also another coffer which, though of rare
proportion and adornment, was more simply shaped. It was of ironstone
of great thickness; but the cover was lightly cemented down with what
seemed gum and Paris plaster, as though to insure that no air could
penetrate. The Arabs with me so insisted in its opening, thinking that
from its thickness much treasure was stored therein, that I consented
thereto. But their hope was a false one, as it proved. Within, closely
packed, stood four jars finely wrought and carved with various
adornments. Of these one was the head of a man, another of a dog,
another of a jackal, and another of a hawk. I had before known that
such burial urns as these were used to contain the entrails and other
organs of the mummied dead; but on opening these, for the fastening of
wax, though complete, was thin, and yielded easily, we found that they
held but oil. The Bedouins, spilling most of the oil in the process,
groped with their hands in the jars lest treasure should have been there
concealed. But their searching was of no avail; no treasure was there.
I was warned of my danger by seeing in the eyes of the Arabs certain
covetous glances. Whereon, in order to hasten their departure, I
wrought upon those fears of superstition which even in these callous men
were apparent. The chief of the Bedouins ascended from the Pit to give
the signal to those above to raise us; and I, not caring to remain with
the men whom I mistrusted, followed him immediately. The others did not
come at once; from which I feared that they were rifling the tomb afresh
on their own account. I refrained to speak of it, however, lest worse
should befall. At last they came. One of them, who ascended first, in
landing at the top of the cliff lost his foothold and fell below. He
was instantly killed. The other followed, but in safety. The chief came
next, and I came last. Before coming away I pulled into its place
again, as well as I could, the slab of stone that covered the entrance
to the tomb. I wished, if possible, to preserve it for my own
examination should I come again.
“When we all stood on the hill above the cliff, the burning sun that was
bright and full of glory was good to see after the darkness and strange
mystery of the tomb. Even was I glad that the poor Arab who fell down
the cliff and lay dead below, lay in the sunlight and not in that gloomy
cavern. I would fain have gone with my companions to seek him and give
him sepulture of some kind; but the Sheik made light of it, and sent two
of his men to see to it whilst we went on our way.
“That night as we camped, one of the men only returned, saying that a
lion of the desert had killed his companion after that they had buried
the dead man in a deep sand without the valley, and had covered the spot
where he lay with many great rocks, so that jackals or other preying
beasts might not dig him up again as is their wont.
“Later, in the light of the fire round which the men sat or lay, I saw
him exhibit to his fellows something white which they seemed to regard
with special awe and reverence. So I drew near silently, and saw that
it was none other than the white hand of the mummy which had lain
protecting the Jewel in the great sarcophagus. I heard the Bedouin tell
how he had found it on the body of him who had fallen from the cliff.
There was no mistaking it, for there were the seven fingers which I had
noted before. This man must have wrenched it off the dead body whilst
his chief and I were otherwise engaged; and from the awe of the others I
doubted not that he had hoped to use it as an Amulet, or charm. Whereas
if powers it had, they were not for him who had taken it from the dead;
since his death followed hard upon his theft. Already his Amulet had
had an awesome baptism; for the wrist of the dead hand was stained with
red as though it had been dipped in recent blood.
“That night I was in certain fear lest there should be some violence
done to me; for if the poor dead hand was so valued as a charm, what
must be the worth in such wise of the rare Jewel which it had guarded.
Though only the chief knew of it, my doubt was perhaps even greater; for
he could so order matters as to have me at his mercy when he would. I
guarded myself, therefore, with wakefulness so well as I could,
determined that at my earliest opportunity I should leave this party,
and complete my journeying home, first to the Nile bank, and then down
its course to Alexandria; with other guides who knew not what strange
matters I had with me.
“At last there came over me a disposition of sleep, so potent that I
felt it would be resistless. Fearing attack, or that being searched in
my sleep the Bedouin might find the Star Jewel which he had seen me
place with others in my dress, I took it out unobserved and held it in
my hand. It seemed to give back the light of the flickering fire and
the light of the stars—for there was no moon—with equal fidelity; and I
could note that on its reverse it was graven deeply with certain signs
such as I had seen in the tomb. As I sank into the unconsciousness of
sleep, the graven Star Jewel was hidden in the hollow of my clenched
hand.
“I waked out of sleep with the light of the morning sun on my face. I
sat up and looked around me. The fire was out, and the camp was
desolate; save for one figure which lay prone close to me. It was that
of the Arab chief, who lay on his back, dead. His face was almost
black; and his eyes were open, and staring horribly up at the sky, as
though he saw there some dreadful vision. He had evidently been
strangled; for on looking, I found on his throat the red marks where
fingers had pressed. There seemed so many of these marks that I counted
them. There were seven; and all parallel, except the thumb mark, as
though made with one hand. This thrilled me as I thought of the mummy
hand with the seven fingers.
“Even there, in the open desert, it seemed as if there could be
enchantments!
“In my surprise, as I bent over him, I opened my right hand, which up to
now I had held shut with the feeling, instinctive even in sleep, of
keeping safe that which it held. As I did so, the Star Jewel held there
fell out and struck the dead man on the mouth. Mirabile dictu there
came forth at once from the dead mouth a great gush of blood, in which
the red jewel
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