“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