the works of edgar allan poe-5-第21部分

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awake　as　a　man　need　be。　I　leaped　out　of　bed　in　an　ecstacy；　overthrowing
all　in　my　way；　dressed　myself　with　a　rapidity　truly　marvellous；　and　set
off；　at　the　top　of　my　speed；　for　the　doctor's。

There　I　found　a　very　eager　company　assembled。　They　had　been　awaiting　me
with　much　impatience；　the　Mummy　was　extended　upon　the　dining…table；　and
the　moment　I　entered　its　examination　was　commenced。

It　was　one　of　a　pair　brought；　several　years　previously；　by　Captain　Arthur
Sabretash；　a　cousin　of　Ponnonner's　from　a　tomb　near　Eleithias；　in　the
Lybian　mountains；　a　considerable　distance　above　Thebes　on　the　Nile。　The
grottoes　at　this　point；　although　less　magnificent　than　the　Theban
sepulchres；　are　of　higher　interest；　on　account　of　affording　more　numerous
illustrations　of　the　private　life　of　the　Egyptians。　The　chamber　from　which
our　specimen　was　taken；　was　said　to　be　very　rich　in　such　illustrations；
the　walls　being　completely　covered　with　fresco　paintings　and　bas…reliefs；
while　statues；　vases；　and　Mosaic　work　of　rich　patterns；　indicated　the　vast
wealth　of　the　deceased。

The　treasure　had　been　deposited　in　the　Museum　precisely　in　the　same
condition　in　which　Captain　Sabretash　had　found　it；　　that　is　to　say；　the
coffin　had　not　been　disturbed。　For　eight　years　it　had　thus　stood；　subject
only　externally　to　public　inspection。　We　had　now；　therefore；　the　complete
Mummy　at　our　disposal；　and　to　those　who　are　aware　how　very　rarely　the
unransacked　antique　reaches　our　shores；　it　will　be　evident；　at　once　that
we　had　great　reason　to　congratulate　ourselves　upon　our　good　fortune。

Approaching　the　table；　I　saw　on　it　a　large　box；　or　case；　nearly　seven　feet
long；　and　perhaps　three　feet　wide；　by　two　feet　and　a　half　deep。　It　was
oblong　　not　coffin…shaped。　The　material　was　at　first　supposed　to　be　the
wood　of　the　sycamore　（_platanus_）；　but；　upon　cutting　into　it；　we　found　it
to　be　pasteboard；　or；　more　properly；　_papier　mache_；　composed　of　papyrus。
It　was　thickly　ornamented　with　paintings；　representing　funeral　scenes；　and
other　mournful　subjects　　interspersed　among　which；　in　every　variety　of
position；　were　certain　series　of　hieroglyphical　characters；　intended；　no
doubt；　for　the　name　of　the　departed。　By　good　luck；　Mr。　Gliddon　formed　one
of　our　party；　and　he　had　no　difficulty　in　translating　the　letters；　which
were　simply　phonetic；　and　represented　the　word　_Allamistakeo_。

We　had　some　difficulty　in　getting　this　case　open　without　injury；　but
having　at　length　accomplished　the　task；　we　came　to　a　second；
coffin…shaped；　and　very　considerably　less　in　size　than　the　exterior　one；
but　resembling　it　precisely　in　every　other　respect。　The　interval　between
the　two　was　filled　with　resin；　which　had；　in　some　degree；　defaced　the
colors　of　the　interior　box。

Upon　opening　this　latter　（which　we　did　quite　easily）；　we　arrived　at　a
third　case；　also　coffin…shaped；　and　varying　from　the　second　one　in　no
particular；　except　in　that　of　its　material；　which　was　cedar；　and　still
emitted　the　peculiar　and　highly　aromatic　odor　of　that　wood。　Between　the
second　and　the　third　case　there　was　no　interval　　the　one　fitting
accurately　within　the　other。

Removing　the　third　case；　we　discovered　and　took　out　the　body　itself。　We
had　expected　to　find　it；　as　usual；　enveloped　in　frequent　rolls；　or
bandages；　of　linen；　but；　in　place　of　these；　we　found　a　sort　of　sheath；
made　of　papyrus；　and　coated　with　a　layer　of　plaster；　thickly　gilt　and
painted。　The　paintings　represented　subjects　connected　with　the　various
supposed　duties　of　the　soul；　and　its　presentation　to　different　divinities；
with　numerous　identical　human　figures；　intended；　very　probably；　as
portraits　of　the　persons　embalmed。　Extending　from　head　to　foot　was　a
columnar；　or　perpendicular；　inscription；　in　phonetic　hieroglyphics；　giving
again　his　name　and　titles；　and　the　names　and　titles　of　his　relations。

Around　the　neck　thus　ensheathed；　was　a　collar　of　cylindrical　glass　beads；
diverse　in　color；　and　so　arranged　as　to　form　images　of　deities；　of　the
scarabaeus；　etc；　with　the　winged　globe。　Around　the　small　of　the　waist　was
a　similar　collar　or　belt。

Stripping　off　the　papyrus；　we　found　the　flesh　in　excellent　preservation；
with　no　perceptible　odor。　The　color　was　reddish。　The　skin　was　hard；
smooth；　and　glossy。　The　teeth　and　hair　were　in　good　condition。　The　eyes
（it　seemed）　had　been　removed；　and　glass　ones　substituted；　which　were　very
beautiful　and　wonderfully　life…like；　with　the　exception　of　somewhat　too
determined　a　stare。　The　fingers　and　the　nails　were　brilliantly　gilded。

Mr。　Gliddon　was　of　opinion；　from　the　redness　of　the　epidermis；　that　the
embalmment　had　been　effected　altogether　by　asphaltum；　but；　on　scraping　the
surface　with　a　steel　instrument；　and　throwing　into　the　fire　some　of　the
powder　thus　obtained；　the　flavor　of　camphor　and　other　sweet…scented　gums
became　apparent。

We　searched　the　corpse　very　carefully　for　the　usual　openings　through　which
the　entrails　are　extracted；　but；　to　our　surprise；　we　could　discover　none。
No　member　of　the　party　was　at　that　period　aware　that　entire　or　unopened
mummies　are　not　infrequently　met。　The　brain　it　was　customary　to　withdraw
through　the　nose；　the　intestines　through　an　incision　in　the　side；　the　body
was　then　shaved；　washed；　and　salted；　then　laid　aside　for　several　weeks；
when　the　operation　of　embalming；　properly　so　called；　began。

As　no　trace　of　an　opening　could　be　found；　Doctor　Ponnonner　was　preparing
his　instruments　for　dissection；　when　I　observed　that　it　was　then　past　two
o'clock。　Hereupon　it　was　agreed　to　postpone　the　internal　examination　until
the　next　evening；　and　we　were　about　to　separate　for　the　present；　when　some
one　suggested　an　experiment　or　two　with　the　Voltaic　pile。

The　application　of　electricity　to　a　mummy　three　or　four　thousand　years　old
at　the　least；　was　an　idea；　if　not　very　sage；　still　sufficiently　original；
and　we　all　caught　it　at　once。　About　one…tenth　in　earnest　and　nine…tenths
in　jest；　we　arranged　a　battery　in　the　Doctor's　study；　and　conveyed　thither
the　Egyptian。

It　was　only　after　much　trouble　that　we　succeeded　in　laying　bare　some
portions　of　the　temporal　muscle　which　appeared　of　less　stony　rigidity　than
other　parts　of　the　frame；　but　which；　as　we　had　anticipated；　of　course；
gave　no　indication　of　galvanic　susceptibility　when　brought　in　contact　with
the　wire。　This；　the　first　trial；　indeed；　seemed　decisive；　and；　with　a
hearty　laugh　at　our　own　absurdity；　we　were　bidding　each　other　good　night；
when　my　eyes；　happening　to　fall　upon　those　of　the　Mummy；　were　there
immediately　riveted　in　amazement。　My　brief　glance；　in　fact；　had　sufficed
to　assure　me　that　the　orbs　which　we　had　all　supposed　to　be　glass；　and
which　were　originally　noticeable　for　a　certain　wild　stare；　were　now　so　far
covered　by　the　lids；　that　only　a　small　portion　of　the　_tunica　albuginea_
remained　visible。

With　a　shout　I　called　attention　to　the　fact；　and　it　became　immediately
obvious　to　all。

I　cannot　say　that　I　was　alarmed　at　the　phenomenon；　because　〃alarmed〃　is；
in　my　case；　not　exactly　the　word。　It　is　possible；　however；　that；　but　for
the　Brown　Stout；　I　might　have　been　a　little　nervous。　As　for　the　rest　of
the　company；　they　really　made　no　attempt　at　concealing　the　downright
fright　which　possessed　them。　Doctor　Ponnonner　was　a　man　to　be　pitied。　Mr。
Gliddon；　by　some　peculiar　process；　rendered　himself　invisible。　Mr。　Silk
Buckingham；　I　fancy；　will　scarcely　be　so　bold　as　to　deny　that　he　made　his
way；　upon　all　fours；　under　the　table。

After　the　first　shock　of　astonishment；　however；　we　resolved；　as　a　matter
of　course；　upon　further　experiment　forthwith。　Our　operations　were　now
directed　against　the　great　toe　of　the　right　foot。　We　made　an　incision　over
the　outside　of　the　exterior　_os　sesamoideum　pollicis　pedis；_　and　thus　got
at　the　root　of　the　abductor　muscle。　Readjusting　the　battery；　we　now
applied　the　fluid　to　the　bisected　nerves　　when；　with　a　movement　of
exceeding　life…likeness；　the　Mummy　first　drew　up　its　right　knee　so　as　to
bring　it　nearly　in　contact　with　the　abdomen；　and　then；　straightening　the
limb　with　inconceivable　force；　bestowed　a　kick　upon　Doctor　Ponnonner；
which　had　the　effect　of　discharging　that　gentleman；　like　an　arrow　from　a
catapult；　through　a　window　into　the　street　below。

We　rushed　out　_en　masse_　to　bring　in　the　mangled　remains　of　the　victim；
but　had　the　happiness　to　meet　him　upon　the　staircase；　coming　up　in　an
unaccountable　hurry；　brimful　of　the　most　ardent　philosophy；　and　more　than
ever　impressed　with　the　necessity　of　prosecuting　our　experiment　with　vigor
and　with　zeal。

It　was　by　his　advice；　accordingly；　that　we　made；　upon　the　spot；　a　profound
incision　into　the　tip　of　the　subject's　nose；　while　the　Doctor　himself；
laying　violent　hands　upon　it；　pulled　it　into　vehement　contact　with　the
wire。

Morally　and　physically　　figuratively　and　literally　　was　the　effect
electric。　In　the　first　place；　the　corpse　opened　its　eyes　and　winked　very
rapidly　for　several　minutes；　as　does　Mr。　Barnes　in　the　pantomime；　in　the
second　place；　it　sneezed；　in　the　third；　it　sat　upon　end；　in　the　fourth；　it
shook　its　fist　in　Doctor　Ponnonner's　face；　in　the　fifth；　turning　to
Messieurs　Gliddon　and　Buckingham；　it　addressed　them；　in　very　capital
Egyptian；