"As I said," remarked Random at this stage, "the miserable creature was
more sinned against than sinning."
"Her moral sense seemed to have become blunted, however," said Archie
doubtfully.
"And small wonder, amidst such surroundings; but it seems to me that she
was much better under the circumstances than many another woman would
have been. Go on."
In Melbourne Mrs. Jasher made a lucky speculation in mines, which
brought her one thousand pounds. With this she came to England, and
resolved to make a bid for respectability. Chance led her into the
neighborhood of Gartley, and thinking that if she set up her tent in
this locality she might manage to marry an officer from the Fort--since
amidst such dismal surroundings a young man might be the more easily
fascinated by a woman of the world--she took the cottage amidst the
marshes at a small rent. Here she hoped to eke out what money she had
left--a few hundreds--until the coveted marriage should take place.
Afterwards she met Professor Braddock and determined to marry him, as
a man more easy to manage. She was successful in enlisting Lucy on her
side, and until the green mummy brought its bad luck to the Pyramids
everything went capitally.
It was in connection with the name of Bolton that the first mention was
made of the green mummy. Sidney was a clever young man, although
very lowly born, and having been taken up by Professor Braddock as
an assistant, could hope some day to make a position. Braddock was
educating him, although he paid him very little in the way of wages.
Sidney fell in love with Mrs. Jasher, and in some way--she did not
mention how--gained her confidence. Perhaps the lonely woman was glad
to have a sympathetic friend. At all events she told her past history
to Sidney, and mentioned that she desired to marry Braddock. But Sidney
insisted that she should marry him, and promised to make enough money
to satisfy her that he was a good match, setting aside his humble birth,
for which Mrs. Jasher cared nothing.
It was then that Sidney related what he had discovered. Braddock, when
in Peru many years before, had tried to get mummies for some scientific
reason. When Hervey--then known as Vasa--promised to procure him the
mummy of the last Inca, Braddock was extremely pleased. Hervey stole the
mummy and also the copy of the manuscript which was written in Latin.
He sent this latter to Braddock--who was then at Cuzco--as an earnest of
his success in procuring the mummy, and when the Professor returned
to Lima the mummy was to be handed to him. Unfortunately, Braddock
was carried into captivity for one year, and when he escaped Vasa had
disappeared with the mummy. As the Professor had deciphered the Latin
manuscript, he knew of the emeralds, and for years had been hunting for
the mummy--sure to be recognized from its peculiar green color--in order
to get the jewels, and thus secure money for his Egyptian expedition.
All through, it seems, the Professor was actuated by purely scientific
enthusiasm, as in the abstract he cared very little for hard cash.
Bolton told Mrs. Jasher that Braddock explained how much he desired to
get the mummy, but he did not mention about the jewels. For a long time
Sidney was under the impression that his master merely wanted the
mummy to see the difference between the Egyptian and Peruvian modes of
embalming.