Wesearchedthecorpseverycarefullyfortheusualopeningsthroughwhichtheentrailsareextracted，but，tooursurprise，wecoulddiscovernone。
Nomemberofthepartywasatthatperiodawarethatentireorunopenedmummiesarenotinfrequentlymet。Thebrainitwascustomarytowithdrawthroughthenose；theintestinesthroughanincisionintheside；thebodywasthenshaved，washed，andsalted；thenlaidasideforseveralweeks，whentheoperationofembalming，properlysocalled，began。
Asnotraceofanopeningcouldbefound，DoctorPonnonnerwaspreparinghisinstrumentsfordissection，whenIobservedthatitwasthenpasttwoo’clock。Hereuponitwasagreedtopostponetheinternalexaminationuntilthenextevening；andwewereabouttoseparateforthepresent，whensomeonesuggestedanexperimentortwowiththeVoltaicpile。
Theapplicationofelectricitytoamummythreeorfourthousandyearsoldattheleast，wasanidea，ifnotverysage，stillsufficientlyoriginal，andweallcaughtitatonce。Aboutone-tenthinearnestandnine-tenthsinjest，wearrangedabatteryintheDoctor’sstudy，andconveyedthithertheEgyptian。
Itwasonlyaftermuchtroublethatwesucceededinlayingbaresomeportionsofthetemporalmusclewhichappearedoflessstonyrigiditythanotherpartsoftheframe，butwhich，aswehadanticipated，ofcourse，gavenoindicationofgalvanicsusceptibilitywhenbroughtincontactwiththewire。This，thefirsttrial，indeed，seemeddecisive，and，withaheartylaughatourownabsurdity，wewerebiddingeachothergoodnight，whenmyeyes，happeningtofalluponthoseoftheMummy，werethereimmediatelyrivetedinamazement。Mybriefglance，infact，hadsufficedtoassuremethattheorbswhichwehadallsupposedtobeglass，andwhichwereoriginallynoticeableforacertainwildstare，werenowsofarcoveredbythelids，thatonlyasmallportionofthe_tunicaalbuginea_
remainedvisible。
WithashoutIcalledattentiontothefact，anditbecameimmediatelyobvioustoall。
IcannotsaythatIwasalarmedatthephenomenon，because“alarmed“is，inmycase，notexactlytheword。Itispossible，however，that，butfortheBrownStout，Imighthavebeenalittlenervous。Asfortherestofthecompany，theyreallymadenoattemptatconcealingthedownrightfrightwhichpossessedthem。DoctorPonnonnerwasamantobepitied。Mr。
Gliddon，bysomepeculiarprocess，renderedhimselfinvisible。Mr。SilkBuckingham，Ifancy，willscarcelybesoboldastodenythathemadehisway，uponallfours，underthetable。
Afterthefirstshockofastonishment，however，weresolved，asamatterofcourse，uponfurtherexperimentforthwith。Ouroperationswerenowdirectedagainstthegreattoeoftherightfoot。Wemadeanincisionovertheoutsideoftheexterior_ossesamoideumpollicispedis，_andthusgotattherootoftheabductormuscle。Readjustingthebattery，wenowappliedthefluidtothebisectednerveswhen，withamovementofexceedinglife-likeness，theMummyfirstdrewupitsrightkneesoastobringitnearlyincontactwiththeabdomen，andthen，straighteningthelimbwithinconceivableforce，bestowedakickuponDoctorPonnonner，whichhadtheeffectofdischargingthatgentleman，likeanarrowfromacatapult，throughawindowintothestreetbelow。
Werushedout_enmasse_tobringinthemangledremainsofthevictim，buthadthehappinesstomeethimuponthestaircase，comingupinanunaccountablehurry，brimfulofthemostardentphilosophy，andmorethaneverimpressedwiththenecessityofprosecutingourexperimentwithvigorandwithzeal。
Itwasbyhisadvice，accordingly，thatwemade，uponthespot，aprofoundincisionintothetipofthesubject’snose，whiletheDoctorhimself，layingviolenthandsuponit，pulleditintovehementcontactwiththewire。
Morallyandphysicallyfigurativelyandliterallywastheeffectelectric。Inthefirstplace，thecorpseopeneditseyesandwinkedveryrapidlyforseveralminutes，asdoesMr。Barnesinthepantomime，inthesecondplace，itsneezed；inthethird，itsatuponend；inthefourth，itshookitsfistinDoctorPonnonner’sface；inthefifth，turningtoMessieursGliddonandBuckingham，itaddressedthem，inverycapitalEgyptian，thus：
“Imustsay，gentlemen，thatIamasmuchsurprisedasIammortifiedatyourbehavior。OfDoctorPonnonnernothingbetterwastobeexpected。Heisapoorlittlefatfoolwhoknowsnobetter。Ipityandforgivehim。Butyou，Mr。Gliddon-andyou，SilkwhohavetravelledandresidedinEgyptuntilonemightimagineyoutothemannerbornyou，IsaywhohavebeensomuchamongusthatyouspeakEgyptianfullyaswell，Ithink，asyouwriteyourmothertongueyou，whomIhavealwaysbeenledtoregardasthefirmfriendofthemummiesIreallydidanticipatemoregentlemanlyconductfromyou。WhatamItothinkofyourstandingquietlybyandseeingmethusunhandsomelyused？WhatamItosupposebyyourpermittingTom，Dick，andHarrytostripmeofmycoffins，andmyclothes，inthiswretchedlycoldclimate？InwhatlighttocometothepointamItoregardyouraidingandabettingthatmiserablelittlevillain，DoctorPonnonner，inpullingmebythenose？”
Itwillbetakenforgranted，nodoubt，thatuponhearingthisspeechunderthecircumstances，wealleithermadeforthedoor，orfellintoviolenthysterics，orwentoffinageneralswoon。Oneofthesethreethingswas，Isay，tobeexpected。Indeedeachandalloftheselinesofconductmighthavebeenveryplausiblypursued。And，uponmyword，Iamatalosstoknowhoworwhyitwasthatwepursuedneithertheonenortheother。But，perhaps，thetruereasonistobesoughtinthespiritoftheage，whichproceedsbytheruleofcontrariesaltogether，andisnowusuallyadmittedasthesolutionofeverythinginthewayofparadoxandimpossibility。Or，perhaps，afterall，itwasonlytheMummy’sexceedinglynaturalandmatter-of-courseairthatdivestedhiswordsoftheterrible。
Howeverthismaybe，thefactsareclear，andnomemberofourpartybetrayedanyveryparticulartrepidation，orseemedtoconsiderthatanythinghadgoneveryespeciallywrong。
FormypartIwasconvinceditwasallright，andmerelysteppedaside，outoftherangeoftheEgyptian’sfist。DoctorPonnonnerthrusthishandsintohisbreeches’pockets，lookedhardattheMummy，andgrewexcessivelyredintheface。Mr。Gliddenstrokedhiswhiskersanddrewupthecollarofhisshirt。Mr。Buckinghamhungdownhishead，andputhisrightthumbintotheleftcornerofhismouth。
TheEgyptianregardedhimwithaseverecountenanceforsomeminutesandatlength，withasneer，said：
“Whydon’tyouspeak，Mr。Buckingham？DidyouhearwhatIaskedyou，ornot？Dotakeyourthumboutofyourmouth！”
Mr。Buckingham，hereupon，gaveaslightstart，tookhisrightthumboutoftheleftcornerofhismouth，and，bywayofindemnificationinsertedhisleftthumbintherightcorneroftheapertureabove-mentioned。
NotbeingabletogetananswerfromMr。B。，thefigureturnedpeevishlytoMr。Gliddon，and，inaperemptorytone，demandedingeneraltermswhatweallmeant。
Mr。Gliddonrepliedatgreatlength，inphonetics；andbutforthedeficiencyofAmericanprinting-officesinhieroglyphicaltype，itwouldaffordmemuchpleasuretorecordhere，intheoriginal，thewholeofhisveryexcellentspeech。
Imayaswelltakethisoccasiontoremark，thatallthesubsequentconversationinwhichtheMummytookapart，wascarriedoninprimitiveEgyptian，throughthemediumsofarasconcernedmyselfandotheruntravelledmembersofthecompanythroughthemedium，Isay，ofMessieursGliddonandBuckingham，asinterpreters。ThesegentlemenspokethemothertongueoftheMummywithinimitablefluencyandgrace；butI
couldnothelpobservingthatowing，nodoubt，totheintroductionofimagesentirelymodern，and，ofcourse，entirelynoveltothestranger
thetwotravellerswerereduced，occasionally，totheemploymentofsensibleformsforthepurposeofconveyingaparticularmeaning。Mr。
Gliddon，atoneperiod，forexample，couldnotmaketheEgyptiancomprehendtheterm“politics。”untilhesketcheduponthewall，withabitofcharcoalalittlecarbuncle-nosedgentleman，outatelbows，standinguponastump，withhisleftlegdrawnback，rightarmthrownforward，withhisfistshut，theeyesrolleduptowardHeaven，andthemouthopenatanangleofninetydegrees。JustinthesamewayMr。
Buckinghamfailedtoconveytheabsolutelymodernidea“wig。”untilatDoctorPonnonner’ssuggestionhegrewverypaleintheface，andconsentedtotakeoffhisown。
ItwillbereadilyunderstoodthatMr。Gliddon’sdiscourseturnedchieflyuponthevastbenefitsaccruingtosciencefromtheunrollinganddisembowellingofmummies；apologizing，uponthisscore，foranydisturbancethatmighthavebeenoccasionedhim，inparticular，theindividualMummycalledAllamistakeo；andconcludingwithamerehintforitcouldscarcelybeconsideredmorethat，astheselittlematterswerenowexplained，itmightbeaswelltoproceedwiththeinvestigationintended。HereDoctorPonnonnermadereadyhisinstruments。
Inregardtothelattersuggestionsoftheorator，itappearsthatAllamistakeohadcertainscruplesofconscience，thenatureofwhichIdidnotdistinctlylearn；butheexpressedhimselfsatisfiedwiththeapologiestendered，and，gettingdownfromthetable，shookhandswiththecompanyallround。
Whenthisceremonywasatanend，weimmediatelybusiedourselvesinrepairingthedamageswhichoursubjecthadsustainedfromthescalpel。Wesewedupthewoundinhistemple，bandagedhisfoot，andappliedasquareinchofblackplastertothetipofhisnose。
ItwasnowobservedthattheCountthiswasthetitle，itseems，ofAllamistakeohadaslightfitofshiveringnodoubtfromthecold。TheDoctorimmediatelyrepairedtohiswardrobe，andsoonreturnedwithablackdresscoat，madeinJennings’bestmanner，apairofsky-blueplaidpantaloonswithstraps，apinkginghamchemise，aflappedvestofbrocade，awhitesackovercoat，awalkingcanewithahook，ahatwithnobrim，patent-leatherboots，straw-coloredkidgloves，aneye-glass，apairofwhiskers，andawaterfallcravat。OwingtothedisparityofsizebetweentheCountandthedoctortheproportionbeingastwotoone，therewassomelittledifficultyinadjustingthesehabilimentsuponthepersonoftheEgyptian；butwhenallwasarranged，hemighthavebeensaidtobedressed。Mr。Gliddon，therefore，gavehimhisarm，andledhimtoacomfortablechairbythefire，whiletheDoctorrangthebelluponthespotandorderedasupplyofcigarsandwine。
Theconversationsoongrewanimated。Muchcuriositywas，ofcourse，expressedinregardtothesomewhatremarkablefactofAllamistakeo’sstillremainingalive。
“Ishouldhavethought。”observedMr。Buckingham，“thatitishightimeyouweredead。”
“Why。”repliedtheCount，verymuchastonished，“Iamlittlemorethansevenhundredyearsold！Myfatherlivedathousand，andwasbynomeansinhisdotagewhenhedied。”
Hereensuedabriskseriesofquestionsandcomputations，bymeansofwhichitbecameevidentthattheantiquityoftheMummyhadbeengrosslymisjudged。IthadbeenfivethousandandfiftyyearsandsomemonthssincehehadbeenconsignedtothecatacombsatEleithias。
“Butmyremark。”resumedMr。Buckingham，“hadnoreferencetoyourageattheperiodofintermentIamwillingtogrant，infact，thatyouarestillayoungman，andmyillusionwastotheimmensityoftimeduringwhich，byyourownshowing，youmusthavebeendoneupinasphaltum。”
“Inwhat？”saidtheCount。
“Inasphaltum。”persistedMr。B。
“Ah，yes；Ihavesomefaintnotionofwhatyoumean；itmightbemadetoanswer，nodoubtbutinmytimeweemployedscarcelyanythingelsethantheBichlorideofMercury。”
“Butwhatweareespeciallyatalosstounderstand。”saidDoctorPonnonner，“ishowithappensthat，havingbeendeadandburiedinEgyptfivethousandyearsago，youarehereto-dayallaliveandlookingsodelightfullywell。”
“HadIbeen，asyousay，dead。”repliedtheCount，“itismorethanprobablethatdead，Ishouldstillbe；forIperceiveyouareyetintheinfancyofCalvanism，andcannotaccomplishwithitwhatwasacommonthingamongusintheolddays。Butthefactis，Ifellintocatalepsy，anditwasconsideredbymybestfriendsthatIwaseitherdeadorshouldbe；theyaccordinglyembalmedmeatonceIpresumeyouareawareofthechiefprincipleoftheembalmingprocess？”
“Whynotaltogether。”