The respective legs of this table were
indicated by differently shaped uraei outlined on the floor, the head
of each being extended in the direction of the similar uraeus twined
round the leg. Also that the mummy, when laid on the raised portion in
the bottom of the sarcophagus, seemingly made to fit the form, would
lie head to the West and feet to the East, thus receiving the natural
earth currents. "If this be intended," he said, "as I presume it is, I
gather that the force to be used has something to do with magnetism or
electricity, or both. It may be, of course, that some other force,
such, for instance, as that emanating from radium, is to be employed.
I have experimented with the latter, but only in such small quantity as
I could obtain; but so far as I can ascertain the stone of the Coffer
is absolutely impervious to its influence. There must be some such
unsusceptible substances in nature. Radium does not seemingly manifest
itself when distributed through pitchblende; and there are doubtless
other such substances in which it can be imprisoned. Possibly these
may belong to that class of "inert" elements discovered or isolated by
Sir William Ramsay. It is therefore possible that in this Coffer, made
from an aerolite and therefore perhaps containing some element unknown
in our world, may be imprisoned some mighty power which is to be
released on its opening."

This appeared to be an end of this branch of the subject; but as he
still kept the fixed look of one who is engaged in a theme we all
waited in silence. After a pause he went on:

"There is one thing which has up to now, I confess, puzzled me. It may
not be of prime importance; but in a matter like this, where all is
unknown, we must take it that everything is important. I cannot think
that in a matter worked out with such extraordinary scrupulosity such a
thing should be overlooked. As you may see by the ground-plan of the
tomb the sarcophagus stands near the north wall, with the Magic Coffer
to the south of it. The space covered by the former is left quite bare
of symbol or ornamentation of any kind. At the first glance this would
seem to imply that the drawings had been made after the sarcophagus had
been put into its place. But a more minute examination will show that
the symbolisation on the floor is so arranged that a definite effect is
produced. See, here the writings run in correct order as though they
had jumped across the gap. It i