Sheppard Lee, Written by Himself. Vol. 2 (of 2)Bird, Robert Montgomery
General
Sheppard Lee, Written by Himself. Vol. 2 (of 2)
Bird, Robert Montgomery
American fiction -- 19th century; Satire
What other notions may have crowded my brain, what feeling may have
entered my bosom, I am now unable to describe. The sight of my body
thus restored to me, and in the midst of my sorrow and affliction,
inviting me, as it were, back to my proper home, threw me into an
indescribable ferment. I stretched out my arms, I uttered a cry, and
then rushing forward, to the astonishment of all present, I struck my
foot against the glass case with a fury that shivered it to atoms--or,
at least, the portion of it serving as a door, which, being dislodged
by the violence of the blow, fell upon the floor and was dashed to
pieces. The next instant, disregarding the cries of surprise and fear
which the act occasioned, I seized upon the cold and rigid hand of the
mummy, murmuring, "Let me live again in my own body, and never--no!
never more in another's!"
Happiness of happiness! although, while I uttered the words, a boding
fear was on my mind, lest the long period the body had lain inanimate,
and more especially the mummifying process to which it had been
subjected, might have rendered it unfit for further habitation, I had
scarce breathed the wish before I found myself in that very body,
descending from the box which had so long been its prison, and stepping
over the mortal frame of Mr. Arthur Megrim, now lying dead on the floor.
Indescribable was the terror produced among the spectators by this
double catastrophe--the death of their townsman, and the revival of the
mummy. The women fell down in fits, and the men took to their heels;
and a little boy, who was frightened into a paroxysm of devotion,
dropped on his knees, and began fervently to exclaim,
"Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep."
In short, the agitation was truly inexpressible, and fear distracted
all. But on no countenance was this passion (mingled with a due degree
of amazement) more strikingly depicted than on that of the German
doctor, who, thus compelled to witness the object of a thousand cares,
the greatest and most perfect result of his wonderful discovery,
slipping off its pedestal and out of his hands, as by a stroke of
enchantment, stared upon me with eyes, nose, and mouth, speechless,
rooted to the floor, and apparently converted into a mummy himself. As
I stepped past him, however, hurrying to the door, with a vague idea
that the sooner I reached it the better, his lips were unlocked, and
his feelings found vent in a horrible exclamation--"_Der tyfel!_" which
I believe means the devil--"Der tyfel! I have empalm him too well!"
Then making a dart at me, he cried, in tones of distraction, "Stop my
mummy! mine gott! which has cost me so much expense!--stop my mummy!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account