The Jewel of Seven Stars by Bram Stoker (ebook and pdf reader .txt) 📖
- Author: Bram Stoker
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As he had told us, these contained the whole of the hieroglyphics on
walls and ceilings and floor of the tomb in the Valley of the Sorcerer.
Even had not the measurements, made to scale, recorded the position of
each piece of furniture, we could have eventually placed them by a study
of the cryptic writings and symbols.
Mr. Trelawny explained to us certain other things, not laid down on the
chart. Such as, for instance, that the hollowed part of the table was
exactly fitted to the bottom of the Magic Coffer, which was therefore
intended to be placed on it. The respective legs of this table were
indicated by differently shaped uraei outlined on the floor, the head of
each being extended in the direction of the similar uraeus twined round
the Also that the mummy, when laid on the raised portion in the bottom
of the sarcophagus, seemingly made to fit the form, would lie head to
the West and feet to the East, thus receiving the natural earth
currents. “If this be intended,” he said, “as I presume it is, I gather
that the force to be used has something to do with magnetism or
electricity, or both. It may be, of course, that some other force,
such, for instance, as that emanating from radium, is to be employed. I
have experimented with the latter, but only in such small quantity as I
could obtain; but so far as I can ascertain the stone of the Coffer is
absolutely impervious to its influence. There must be some such
unsusceptible substances in nature. Radium does not seemingly manifest
itself when distributed through pitchblende; and there are doubtless
other such substances in which it can be imprisoned. Possibly these may
belong to that class of “inert” elements discovered or isolated by Sir
William Ramsay. It is therefore possible that in this Coffer, made from
an aerolite and therefore perhaps containing some element unknown in our
world, may be imprisoned some mighty power which is to be released on
its opening.”
This appeared to be an end of this branch of the subject; but as he
still kept the fixed look of one who is engaged in a theme we all waited
in silence. After a pause he went on:
“There is one thing which has up to now, I confess, puzzled me. It may
not be of prime importance; but in a matter like this, where all is
unknown, we must take it that everything is important. I cannot think
that in a matter worked out with such extraordinary scrupulosity such a
thing should be overlooked. As you may see by the ground-plan of the
tomb the sarcophagus stands near the north wall, with the Magic Coffer
to the south of it. The space covered by the former is left quite bare
of symbol or ornamentation of any kind. At the first glance this would
seem to imply that the drawings had been made after the sarcophagus had
been put into its place. But a more minute examination will show that
the symbolisation on the floor is so arranged that a definite effect is
produced. See, here the writings run in correct order as though they
had jumped across the gap. It is only from certain effects that it
becomes clear that there is a meaning of some kind. What that meaning
may be is what we want to know. Look at the top and bottom of the
vacant space, which lies West and East corresponding to the head and
foot of the sarcophagus. In both are duplications of the same
symbolisation, but so arranged that the parts of each one of them are
integral portions of some other writing running crosswise. It is only
when we get a coup d’oeil from either the head or the foot that you
recognise that there are symbolisations. See! they are in triplicate at
the corners and the centre of both top and bottom. In every case there
is a sun cut in half by the line of the sarcophagus, as by the horizon.
Close behind each of these and faced away from it, as though in some way
dependent on it, is the vase which in hieroglyphic writing symbolises
the heart—‘Ab’ the Egyptians called it. Beyond each of these again is
the figure of a pair of widespread arms turned upwards from the elbow;
this is the determinative of the ‘Ka’ or ‘Double’. But its relative
position is different at top and bottom. At the head of the sarcophagus
the top of the ‘Ka’ is turned towards the mouth of the vase, but at the
foot the extended arms point away from it.
“The symbolisation seems to mean that during the passing of the Sun from
West to East—from sunset to sunrise, or through the Under World,
otherwise night—the Heart, which is material even in the tomb and cannot
leave it, simply revolves, so that it can always rest on ‘Ra’ the
Sun-God, the origin of all good; but that the Double, which represents
the active principle, goes whither it will, the same by night as by day.
If this be correct it is a warning—a caution—a reminder that the
consciousness of the mummy does not rest but is to be reckoned with.
“Or it may be intended to convey that after the particular night of the
resurrection, the ‘Ka’ would leave the heart altogether, thus typifying
that in her resurrection the Queen would be restored to a lower and
purely physical existence. In such case what would become of her memory
and the experiences of her wide-wandering soul? The chiefest value of
her resurrection would be lost to the world! This, however, does not
alarm me. It is only guess-work after all, and is contradictory to the
intellectual belief of the Egyptian theology, that the ‘Ka’ is an
essential portion of humanity.” He paused and we all waited. The
silence was broken by Doctor Winchester:
“But would not all this imply that the Queen feared intrusion of her
tomb?” Mr. Trelawny smiled as he answered:
“My dear sir, she was prepared for it. The grave robber is no modern
application of endeavour; he was probably known in the Queen’s own
dynasty. Not only was she prepared for intrusion, but, as shown in
several ways, she expected it. The hiding of the lamps in the serdab,
and the institution of the avenging ‘treasurer’ shows that there was
defence, positive as well as negative. Indeed, from the many
indications afforded in the clues laid out with the most consummated
thought, we may almost gather that she entertained it as a possibility
that others—like ourselves, for instance—might in all seriousness
undertake the work which she had made ready for her own hands when the
time should have come. This very matter that I have been speaking of is
an instance. The clue is intended for seeing eyes!”
Again we were silent. It was Margaret who spoke:
“Father, may I have that chart? I should like to study it during the
day!”
“Certainly, my dear!” answered Mr. Trelawny heartily, as he handed it to
her. He resumed his instructions in a different tone, a more matter-of-fact one suitable to a practical theme which had no mystery about it:
“I think you had better all understand the working of the electric light
in case any sudden contingency should arise. I dare say you have
noticed that we have a complete supply in every part of the house, so
that there need not be a dark corner anywhere. This I had specially
arranged. It is worked by a set of turbines moved by the flowing and
ebbing tide, after the manner of the turbines at Niagara. I hope by
this means to nullify accident and to have without fail a full supply
ready at any time. Come with me and I will explain the system of
circuits, and point out to you the taps and the fuses.” I could not but
notice, as we went with him all over the house, how absolutely complete
the system was, and how he had guarded himself against any disaster that
human thought could foresee.
But out of the very completeness came a fear! In such an enterprise as
ours the bounds of human thought were but narrow. Beyond it lay the
vast of Divine wisdom, and Divine power!
When we came back to the cave, Mr. Trelawny took up another theme:
“We have now to settle definitely the exact hour at which the Great
Experiment is to be made. So far as science and mechanism go, if the
preparations are complete, all hours are the same. But as we have to
deal with preparations made by a woman of extraordinarily subtle mind,
and who had full belief in magic and had a cryptic meaning in
everything, we should place ourselves in her position before deciding.
It is now manifest that the sunset has an important place in the
arrangements. As those suns, cut so mathematically by the edge of the
sarcophagus, were arranged of full design, we must take our cue from
this. Again, we find all along that the number seven has had an
important bearing on every phase of the Queen’s thought and reasoning
and action. The logical result is that the seventh hour after sunset
was the time fixed on. This is borne out by the fact that on each of
the occasions when action was taken in my house, this was the time
chosen. As the sun sets tonight in Cornwall at eight, our hour is to
be three in the morning!” He spoke in a matter-of-fact way, though
with great gravity; but there was nothing of mystery in his word or
manner. Still, we were all impressed to a remarkable degree. I could
see this in the other men by the pallor that came on some of their
faces, and by the stillness and unquestioning silence with which the
decision was received. The only one who remained in any way at ease was
Margaret, who had lapsed into one of her moods of abstraction, but who
seemed to wake up to a note of gladness. Her father, who was watching
her intently, smiled; her mood was to him a direct confirmation of his
theory.
For myself I was almost overcome. The definite fixing of the hour
seemed like the voice of Doom. When I think of it now, I can realise
how a condemned man feels at his sentence, or at the sounding of the
last hour he is to hear.
There could be no going back now! We were in the hands of God!
The hands of God … ! And yet … ! What other forces were
arrayed? … What would become of us all, poor atoms of earthly dust
whirled in the wind which comesth whence and goeth whither no man may
know. It was not for myself … Margaret … !
I was recalled by Mr. Trelawny’s firm voice:
“Now we shall see to the lamps and finish our preparations.”
Accordingly we set to work, and under his supervision made ready the
Egyptian lamps, seeing that they were well filled with the cedar oil,
and that the wicks were adjusted and in good order. We lighted and
tested them one by one, and left them ready so that they would light at
once and evenly. When this was done we had a general look round; and
fixed all in readiness for our work at night.
All this had taken time, and we were I think all surprised when as we
emerged from the cave we heard the great clock in the hall chime four.
We had a late lunch, a thing possible without trouble in
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