The Jewel of Seven Stars by Bram Stoker (books to read in your 20s TXT) 📕

sarcophagus, where they had stood,

lay Mr. Trelawny and Mr. Corbeck. It was a relief to me to see that,

though they were unconscious, all three were breathing heavily as though

in a stupor. Margaret still stood behind the couch. She seemed at

first to be in a partially dazed condition; but every instant appeared

to get more command of herself. She stepped forward and helped me to

raise her father and drag him close to a window. Together we placed the

others similarly, and she flew down to the dining-room and returned with

a decanter of brandy. This we proceeded to administer to them all in

turn. It was not many minutes after we had opened the windows when all

three were struggling back to consciousness. During this time my entire

thoughts and efforts had been concentrated on their restoration; but now

that this strain was off, I looked round the room to see what had been

the effect of the experiment. The thick smoke had nearly cleared away;

but the room was still misty and was full of a strange pungent acrid

odour.

 

The great sarcophagus was just as it had been. The coffer was open, and

in it, scattered through certain divisions or partitions wrought in its

own substance, was a scattering of black ashes. Over all, sarcophagus,

coffer and, indeed, all in the room, was a sort of black film of greasy

soot. I went over to the couch. The white sheet still lay over part of

it; but it had been thrown back, as might be when one is stepping out of

bed.

 

But there was no sign of Queen Tera! I took Margaret by the hand and

led her over. She reluctantly left her father to whom she was

administering, but she came docilely enough. I whispered to her as I

held her hand:

 

“What has become of the Queen? Tell me! You were close at hand, and

must have seen if anything happened!” She answered me very softly:

 

“There was nothing that I could see. Until the smoke grew too dense I

kept my eyes on the couch, but there was no change. Then, when all grew

so dark that I could not see, I thought I heard a movement close to me.

It might have been Doctor Winchester who had sunk down overcome; but I

could not be sure. I thought that it might be the Queen waking, so I

put down poor Silvio. I did not see what became of him; but I felt as

if he had deserted me when I heard him mewing over by the door. I hope

he is not offended with me!” As if in answer, Silvio came running into

the room and reared himself against her dress, pulling it as though

clamouring to be taken up. She stooped down and took him up and began to

pet and comfort him.

 

I went over and examined the couch and all around it most carefully.

When Mr. Trelawny and Mr. Corbeck recovered sufficiently, which they did

quickly, though Doctor Winchester took longer to come round, we went

over it afresh. But all we could find was a sort of ridge of impalpable

dust, which gave out a strange dead odour. On the couch lay the jewel

of the disk and plumes which the Queen had worn in her hair, and the

Star Jewel which had words to command the Gods.

 

Other than this we never got clue to what had happened. There was just

one thing which confirmed our idea of the physical annihilation of the

mummy. In the sarcophagus in the hall, where we had placed the mummy of

the cat, was a small patch of similar dust.

 

*

 

In the autumn Margaret and I were married. On the occasion she wore the

mummy robe and zone and the jewel which Queen Tera had worn in her hair.

On her breast, set in a ring of gold make like a twisted lotus stalk,

she wore the strange Jewel of Seven Stars which held words to command

the God of all the worlds. At the marriage the sunlight streaming

through the chancel windows fell on it, and it seemed to glow like a

living thing.

 

The graven words may have been of efficacy; for Margaret holds to them,

and there is no other life in all the world so happy as my own.

 

We often think of the great Queen, and we talk of her freely. Once,

when I said with a sigh that I was sorry she could not have waked into a

new life in a new world, my wife, putting both her hands in mine and

looking into my eyes with that far-away eloquent dreamy look which

sometimes comes into her own, said lovingly:

 

“Do not grieve for her! Who knows, but she may have found the joy she

sought? Love and patience are all that make for happiness in this world;

or in the world of the past or of the future; of the living or the dead.

She dreamed her dream; and that is all that any of us can ask!”

 

THE END