the works of edgar allan poe-5-第24章

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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；　thus：

〃I　must　say；　gentlemen；　that　I　am　as　much　surprised　as　I　am　mortified　at
your　behavior。　Of　Doctor　Ponnonner　nothing　better　was　to　be　expected。　He
is　a　poor　little　fat　fool　who　knows　no　better。　I　pity　and　forgive　him。　But
you；　Mr。　Gliddon…　and　you；　Silk　　who　have　travelled　and　resided　in　Egypt
until　one　might　imagine　you　to　the　manner　born　　you；　I　say　who　have　been
so　much　among　us　that　you　speak　Egyptian　fully　as　well；　I　think；　as　you
write　your　mother　tongue　　you；　whom　I　have　always　been　led　to　regard　as
the　firm　friend　of　the　mummies　　I　really　did　anticipate　more　gentlemanly
conduct　from　you。　What　am　I　to　think　of　your　standing　quietly　by　and
seeing　me　thus　unhandsomely　used？　What　am　I　to　suppose　by　your　permitting
Tom；　Dick；　and　Harry　to　strip　me　of　my　coffins；　and　my　clothes；　in　this
wretchedly　cold　climate？　In　what　light　（to　come　to　the　point）　am　I　to
regard　your　aiding　and　abetting　that　miserable　little　villain；　Doctor
Ponnonner；　in　pulling　me　by　the　nose？〃

It　will　be　taken　for　granted；　no　doubt；　that　upon　hearing　this　speech
under　the　circumstances；　we　all　either　made　for　the　door；　or　fell　into
violent　hysterics；　or　went　off　in　a　general　swoon。　One　of　these　three
things　was；　I　say；　to　be　expected。　Indeed　each　and　all　of　these　lines　of
conduct　might　have　been　very　plausibly　pursued。　And；　upon　my　word；　I　am　at
a　loss　to　know　how　or　why　it　was　that　we　pursued　neither　the　one　nor　the
other。　But；　perhaps；　the　true　reason　is　to　be　sought　in　the　spirit　of　the
age；　which　proceeds　by　the　rule　of　contraries　altogether；　and　is　now
usually　admitted　as　the　solution　of　every　thing　in　the　way　of　paradox　and
impossibility。　Or；　perhaps；　after　all；　it　was　only　the　Mummy's　exceedingly
natural　and　matter…of…course　air　that　divested　his　words　of　the　terrible。
However　this　may　be；　the　facts　are　clear；　and　no　member　of　our　party
betrayed　any　very　particular　trepidation；　or　seemed　to　consider　that　any
thing　had　gone　very　especially　wrong。

For　my　part　I　was　convinced　it　was　all　right；　and　merely　stepped　aside；
out　of　the　range　of　the　Egyptian's　fist。　Doctor　Ponnonner　thrust　his　hands
into　his　breeches'　pockets；　looked　hard　at　the　Mummy；　and　grew　excessively
red　in　the　face。　Mr。　Glidden　stroked　his　whiskers　and　drew　up　the　collar
of　his　shirt。　Mr。　Buckingham　hung　down　his　head；　and　put　his　right　thumb
into　the　left　corner　of　his　mouth。

The　Egyptian　regarded　him　with　a　severe　countenance　for　some　minutes　and
at　length；　with　a　sneer；　said：

〃Why　don't　you　speak；　Mr。　Buckingham？　Did　you　hear　what　I　asked　you；　or
not？　Do　take　your　thumb　out　of　your　mouth！〃

Mr。　Buckingham；　hereupon；　gave　a　slight　start；　took　his　right　thumb　out　of
the　left　corner　of　his　mouth；　and；　by　way　of　indemnification　inserted　his
left　thumb　in　the　right　corner　of　the　aperture　above…mentioned。

Not　being　able　to　get　an　answer　from　Mr。　B。；　the　figure　turned　peevishly
to　Mr。　Gliddon；　and；　in　a　peremptory　tone；　demanded　in　general　terms　what
we　all　meant。

Mr。　Gliddon　replied　at　great　length；　in　phonetics；　and　but　for　the