Inthatcoffin——thelastbutoneoftherowontheleft——itisthegreatSesostrishimselfwhoawaitsus.Weknowofoldthatfaceofninetyyears，withitsnosehookedlikethebeakofafalcon;andthegapsbetweenthoseoldman’steeth;themeagre，birdlikeneck，andthehandraisedinagestureofmenace.Twentyyearshaveelapsedsincehewasbroughtbacktothelight，thismasteroftheworld.Hewaswrapped/thousandsoftimes/inamarvellouswinding—sheet，wovenofaloefibres，finerthanthemuslinofIndia，whichmusthavetakenyearsinthemakingandmeasuredmorethan400yardsinlength.Theunswathing，doneinthepresenceoftheKhediveTewfikandthegreatpersonagesofEgypt，lastedtwohours，andafterthelastturn，whentheillustriousfigureappeared，theemotionamongsttheassistantswassuchthattheystampededlikeaherdofcattle，andthePharaohwasoverturned.Hehas，moreover，givenmuchcauseforconversation，thisgreatSesostris，sincehisinstallationinthemuseum.Suddenlyonedaywithabrusquegesture，inthepresenceoftheattendants，whofledhowlingwithfear，heraisedthathandwhichisstillintheair，andwhichhehasnotdeignedsincetolower.[*]Andsubsequentlytheresupervened，beginningintheoldyellowish—whitehair，andthenswarmingoverthewholebody，ahatchingofcadavericfauna，whichnecessitatedacompletebathinmercury.Healsohashispaperticket，pastedontheendofhisbox，andonemayreadthere，writteninacarelesshand，thatnamewhichoncecausedthewholeworldtotremble——\"RamsesII.（Sesostris）\"！ItneednotbesaidthathehasgreatlyfallenawayandblackenedeveninthefifteenyeasthatIhaveknownhim.Heisaphantomthatisabouttodisappear;inspiteofallthecarelavisheduponhim，apoorphantomabouttofalltopieces，tosinkintonothingness.Wemoveourlanternabouthishookednose，thebettertodecipher，intheplayofshadow，hisexpression，thatstillremainsauthoritativeTothinkthatoncethedestiniesoftheworldwereruled，withoutappeal，bythenodofthishead，whichlooksnowsomewhatnarrow，underthedryskinandthehorriblewhitishhair.
Whatforceofwill，ofpassionandcolossalpridemustoncehavedwelttherein！Nottomentiontheanxiety，whichtousnowisscarcelyconceivable，butwhichinhistimeovermasteredallothers——theanxiety，thatistosay，ofassuringthemagnificenceandinviolabilityofsepulture！Andthishorriblescarecrow，toothlessandsenile，lyinghereinitsfilthyrags，withthehandraisedinanimpotentmenace，wasoncethebrilliantSesostris，themasterofkings，andbyvirtueofhisstrengthandbeautythedemigodalso，whosemuscularlimbsanddeepathleticchestmanycolossalstatuesatMemphis，atThebes，atLuxor，reproduceandtrytomakeeternal
[*]Thismovementisexplainedbytheactionofthesun，which，fallingontheunclothedarm，issupposedtohaveexpandedtheboneoftheelbow.
Inthenextcoffinlieshisfather，SetiI.，whoreignedforamuchshorterperiod，anddiedmuchyoungerthanhe.Thisyouthfulnessisapparentstillinthefeaturesofthemummy，whichareimpressedbesideswithapersistentbeauty.IndeedthisgoodKingSetilooksthepictureofcalmandserenereverie.Thereisnothingshockinginhisdeadface，withitslongclosedeyes，itsdelicatelips，itsnoblechinandunblemishedprofile.Itissoothingandpleasanteventoseehimsleepingtherewithhishandscrosseduponhisbreast.Anditseemsstrange，thathe，wholookssoyoung，shouldhaveforsontheoldman，almostacentenarian，wholiesbesidehim.
Inourpassagewehavegazedonmanyotherroyalmummies，sometranquilandsomegrimacing.But，tofinish，thereisoneofthem（thethirdcoffinthere，intherowinfrontofus），acertainQueenNsitanebashru，whomIapproachwithfear，albeititismainlyonheraccountthatIhaveventuredtomakethisfantasticalround.Eveninthedaytimesheattainstothemaximumofhorrorthataspectralfigurecanevoke.Whatwillshebeliketo—nightintheuncertainlightofourlittlelantern？