Azaan,
hold the lantern up higher.
There it is.
The sarcophagus.
I've finally gone one better than Ivan Makepeace.
Who is this Makepeace?
Oh, he's a rival of mine.
He's good.
Very good.
That sarcophagus contains
the mummified remains of Khenmetptah.
A Second Dynasty princess.
Over 4,000 years old.
Then let us hurry.
There's nothing to fear here.
No, wait, I want to translate these hieroglyphs first.
Now, that's 10.
10 hundred.
1,000. That's it now.
What's this figure here doing?
He's touching it.
It's so beautiful.
Don't rush, Azaan.
We are so close.
These old tombs are often built with
death traps.
Ivan Makepeace.
Are you sure?
Oh, yes.
I'd recognize that face anywhere.
I told you not to hurry, Azaan.
Now just a moment.
I think I've got this.
That symbol is death.
Death by a thousand terrors awaits
anyone who touches the sarcophagus.
Azaan, wait.
It's too late.
Mr. Rudolph.
Mr. Sykes.
I don't suppose you could put
that bag back on my head, could you?
The view was a lot better in there, you see.
Very funny, Everett.
I always admire a man who can laugh in the face of danger.
Mr. Sykes, what's all this about?
You know exactly what this is about.
The 10 pounds you borrowed off me last month
for what you termed as a solid gold investment
from which I've yet to see any return.
Oh, that.
Yeah. That.
So what was it all about?
You see, I had a tip
that someone needed to offload some jewelry in a hurry.
Stolen, was it?
Nah, nothing like that.
This old girl,
she'd recently lost her husband.
And well, she wanted a few extra pennies for the funeral.
Anyway, it turned out pickings were a bit richer
than I thought.
10 pounds just wasn't enough.
So I...
Yeah?
Went down the horse track.
And?
Lost the lot.
Oh, well.
Now, let's see.
That's 10 pounds.
The daily rate of 100% compound interest over 30 days.
Let's just say you owe me a lot of money.
Do you have a lot of money on you at present?
Not on me at present.
No, I didn't think so.
Got something to show you, Everett.
This is Alice.
Now, she borrowed money off me, just like you did.
Half a crown.
Only she did it to feed her little children,
rather than waste it down at the horse track.
And just like you,
she always had a excuse for not paying her debt.
Well, I guess those children are going hungry now.
You killed her over half a crown?
We did more than that, Everett.
The lads here had their way with her beforehand.
And then again, afterwards.
You see, this is a lesson
in what happens to people who owe me money
and then fail to pay up.
But we're not at that stage just yet.
Little pain will help the message sink in.
Nobby, get the clamp.
No, you don't have to do that.
You don't need the clamp.
Don't, don't. No!
No! Check my pocket.
I'm about to come into a fortune.
Pull the other one, Everett.
Give it another turn.
There's a telegram in my pocket.
Which pocket?
Inside pocket, the jacket.
Left side.
Ah!
Dr. Felix Randolph requests your presence at eight o'clock
on Thursday the 12th to discuss the matter
of your inheritance.
Yeah. I told you.
What's this all about?
It's my Uncle Felix Randolph.
You might have heard of him.
Isn't he some sort of treasure hunter?
So they say.
This is all very interesting, Everett.
Thought you might say that, Mr. Sykes.
This telegram says eight o'clock
and you are still sat here.
Shouldn't you be seeing your uncle?
Well, it may have escaped your attention, Sykes,
but I'm currently somewhat being forcibly detained.
All right.
Let him go, Charlie.
Much obliged.
Well, I'll let you know how it goes, then.
Hold on.
You'll do more than that, Mr. Randolph.
I wanna know exactly what you stand to inherit.
And when you expect to receive it.
Because whatever it is, it's mine.
Everett.
He's coming here?
Well, he should be.
I sent him a telegram two days ago requesting his presence
by eight o'clock.
But you can never be too sure with Everett, can you?
Well, it's nearly eight now.
You were going to tell me what happened to Azaan
in the pyramid.
Ever the curious one, Archie.
I'm pleased to see that some of my spirit of adventure
has rubbed off on you.
You certainly didn't get it from your father.
And the less said about my other brother, the better.
And his wife.
But look at me now.
I've outlived the lot of them.
That'll be Everett.
It's all right.
Nancy will see to him.
You were going to tell me
what happened in the pyramid.
Nothing happened in the pyramid.
It was hours later that the curse came into effect.
You really believe in ancient Egyptian curses?
I believe in what I saw.
The curse promised death by a thousand terrors.
And by next morning, Azaan was dead.
And the look on his face...
Uncle Felix.
So good to see you.
I mean, it's been too long.
Well, you're always so busy, Everett.
This is true, uncle. This is true.
Lots of irons in the fire, as they say.
Oh and you, good old-
- Archie.
Archie.
Good old cousin Archie.
You must be a doctor now.
Ah, not quite.
Still studying.
Uncle Felix is letting me use his workshop
while I do my research projects.
Sounds fascinating.
Could you get these gentlemen a drink please, Nancy?
And one for yourself, uncle?
No, no, no.
That's part of the issue, I'm afraid.
As you know, gentlemen, I've always lived an active life.
Be it carving ice caves in Mongolia
or wading through marshes and darkest Peru.
Nothing has ever held me back.
Not even the disapproval of most of the Randolph family.
But these last few months,
I've been finding things haven't been as easy
as they used to be.
I get breathless just walking up the stairs
here in this house.
So last week, I asked a medical man
to come and give me the once over.
You could have asked me, uncle.
I know, Archie.
But a man likes to keep some things to himself
until the time is right.
And he has put his affairs in order.
The fact is, gentlemen,
that my old ticker is on the way out.
He tells me that as long as I keep to my bed,
avoid over exertion, strong drink, rich foods,
then it should last until Christmas.
But not beyond.
And this is where the matter
of your inheritance comes into play.
I've spent my life traveling the world,
collecting rare artifacts and valuable antiquities.
My collection to date includes all the major civilizations.
Solid gold coins from ancient Rome,
beautiful vases from Ming dynasty China,
and an original da Vinci print
that I found in a junk shop in Venice.
And all of these things, with one exception,
I have bequeathed to the British Museum.
So, what, you're just gonna give it all away?
Artifacts such as these should be seen by everyone,
not to be hoarded away by an old man
in search of profit.
I think it's an excellent gesture.
Is that what all the commotion was yesterday?
Yes. Yes.
It took six carriages to get everything away.
But you said with one exception.
Yes.
There is one item so dangerous
it must never see the light of day.
The sarcophagus of Khenmetptah.
It's here, in the house?
Downstairs in the basement,
where it will stay.
I intend to have it interred there,
bricked up so it can never be seen again.
Sorry.
What is a sarcophagus?
It's an ancient Egyptian burial receptacle.
And what does it look like?
It's a life-size solid gold humanoid
covered in precious jewels.
Can I see it?
I don't think that's such a good idea, Everett.
It sounds so beautiful, uncle.
Indeed.
It is.
Well, if it's just gonna get bricked up,
I probably won't get another chance, will I?
Oh, come on, uncle, please.
Yes, of course.
Nancy will show you the way.
Just one thing.
Whatever you do, do not lay a finger on it.
You hear that, did you?
He's giving it all away.
He's mad. He's mad.
Was that wise, uncle?
How much trouble can he get up to?
Besides, I wanted to talk to you alone.
I've seen the way that you and Nancy look at each other.
Oh.
No need to be ashamed.
A young man must be allowed to sow his wild oats.
Just don't get her into trouble,
whatever you do.
Well, it's a bit more serious than that.
Oh, you haven't already got her into trouble.
No, no.
I mean, my feelings for her.
Your mother wouldn't have approved.
You're a Randolph, Archie, carrying on with the maid.
Well, she's awfully intelligent.
She's been helping me with my research.
Just because she's a maid does not-
- I said your mother wouldn't have approved,
not that I didn't.
And it won't affect my decision.
What decision?
I haven't got a lot, Archie.
The treasures that I spent my life pursuing are all gone.
And the family fortune, such as it was,
gambled away by Everett's father.
But I do have this house,
and for what it's worth, it's yours, Archie.
Is this it?
Dr. Randolph told me never to touch it.
Well, I don't know what to say.
All I ask is that you brick up the basement,
as I've said.
Well, of course.
Beyond that, you can stay exactly as you are.
I wouldn't want your research to be interrupted
by you having to up sticks and move somewhere else
when I kick the bucket.
Actually, uncle, there's something I wanted to tell you.
Look at that.
The problem is with your heart?
So I'm told.
It appears that I have been overworking it all these years.
I suppose, in the end, one always has to pay the piper.
There are things that can be done, uncle.
I've read up on it.
Even in my own research.
Currently it's on rats,
but I have successfully restarted the heart of an animal.
And there was a case in Luxembourg-
- Stop, Archie.
I know you mean well, but I've accepted my condition.
But your doctor said there was a chance.
So long as I stay in bed, avoid over exertion,
strong drink, rich food, et cetera, et cetera.
Archie, does that sound like any kind of life?
I have something else for you here.
What's that for?
Oh.
The pistol.
Force of habit, I'm afraid
When you sleep anywhere in the Orient,
it's a good idea to be close to a weapon.
No, this is what I want you to have.
It's my journal of my time in Egypt.
Perhaps you can make something of it.
Solve the mystery of the cursed sarcophagus.
I never could.
It's even more beautiful than I ever imagined.
It's gold.
It's real gold.
Well, this must be worth a fortune.
And he wants to brick it up down here?
I'll have to see about that.
Well, uncle, it's been an absolute pleasure,
but must get back into town, you know?
Places to be, people to see and all that.
Archie, could you show Everett out please?
I'm a little tired, I think.
Yes, of course.
Well, it's an impressive building,
I'll give you that, Archie.
Not sure about these floor tiles though.
Oh, and this wall here is gonna have to go.
I mean, these old buildings
are full of these little rooms, aren't they?
Not really great for dinner parties, Archie.
Actually, Everett,
Uncle Felix said he's leaving the house to me.
He said what?
Well, I'm here for the summer for my research project.
And he didn't want to turf me out,
if the worst were to happen.
And what about that thingumajig in the basement?
The sarcophagus?
Well, I suppose that'll be mine too,
if it's to stay in the basement.
That's nice, isn't it?
I mean, he writes me to tell me about this inheritance
and then sends me away packing with nothing in my pocket.
Typical. Typical of this family.
Always treated me like a second class relative.
Well, I'm sorry, Everett.
I don't quite know what to say.
That's all right, Archie.
You've always been a good lad.
Now tell me more about this research stuff.
Well, it's rather hard to explain
without going into detail.
I could show you, if you like.
Medical school is closed for the summer,
so this is where I've been conducting my research.
Not bad, Archie.
What've you got in there?
Rats.
Ah.
Very nice.
Yeah. This should do me for the night, I think.
Sorry, what?
You don't mind, do you,
if I bunk down here with you?
It's just that there's only one bed.
That's all right.
You'll be all right on the floor, won't you?
It's just I thought you needed to get back into town.
No rush.
Thought I might stick around for a bit.
You know, keep an eye on things.
Watch out for you, Archie.
Me?
Yeah, well,
family is family.
And what with you being the sole heir and everything.
I mean, it'd be tragic if anything happened to you.
That sarcophi...
Sarcophagus.
Yeah.
Did Uncle Felix say they actually buried people inside them?
Yes. Well, only important people.
Kings and such like.
They would mummify the remains to preserve them,
stick them inside a sarcophagus,
and bury them.
That one, I believe, belongs to a princess.
Princess?
Well, what's left of one.
It's not my area of expertise.
There's more information in here.
And what's that?
Uncle Felix's journal.
According to the available translated writing,
Princess Khenmetptah was mummified using a unique process
to perfectly preserve the body as if in life.
Unusually, the princess was interred fully intact.
Whereas, in most cases of Egyptian mummification,
a cut is made on the left side of the abdomen
and the intestines, liver, stomach, and lungs are removed
and a hooked instrument was used
to remove the brain through the nose.
Bloody hell.
Leave it out, Archie.
Apologies.
I forget people are squeamish about these things.
Yeah, well you'd be bloody squeamish too
if you'd seen the stuff I'd seen today.
What's that?
Don't worry about it.
I'm gonna get some shut eye.
Probably have bloody nightmares now.
Everett?
No! No, no, please, no!
Please! Please!
Khenmetptah!
The curse has come for me at last!
It wanted to take my heart. It wanted to take my heart.
What did?
He's dead.
Dear God, look at his expression.
It's almost as if...
He was scared to death.
Bloody hell.
What's happened?
Did you touch it?
What?
The sarcophagus. Did you touch it?
I...
I knew it.
He specifically told you not to touch it!
I only wanted to have a look.
It's cursed, Everett.
Sorry, what?
Hold the lamp.
Wait, what are you doing?
Why do you think he told you not to touch it?
Probably thought I was gonna nick it.
Were you?
What's all this about a curse?
Anyone who touches the sarcophagus
is doomed to a death by a thousand terrors.
Something scared the hell out of you just now, didn't it?
Just a dream, that's all.
Was it?
You were screaming and thrashing on that bed.
I've never seen anything like it.
If Uncle Felix suffered the same experience as you,
no wonder his heart gave out.
That's nonsense.
I mean, yeah, I touched the sarcophagus.
Uncle Felix didn't.
So how comes he's dead and I'm not?
You might have been
if I hadn't have woken you.
Come on, Archie.
I mean, you're supposed to be a scientist, right?
Surely you don't believe in curses.
Archie, are you all right?
Yes.
A little tired.
Did you manage to sleep much?
No.
Me neither.
Where's...
Everett?
He was out at the crack of dawn.
Said he had things to do.
I brought you some tea.
Nancy.
You don't have to do that anymore.
You were employed by my Uncle Felix, not by me.
You don't have to be a maid for anyone anymore.
Well, that's all very well and good, Archie,
but it also means I'm out of a job now.
And you don't have one either.
So what will we do?
Well, don't worry.
As soon as I'm qualified as a doctor,
we'll be able to open up a practice far away from here
where I'll just be Dr. Randolph
and you'll just be Mrs. Randolph.
No one will know your background so...
Why are you looking at me like that?
Mrs. Randolph?
Are you asking me to marry you Archie?
Oh, well I suppose I am.
Well, is that a yes then?
Of course it is.
You know, deep down I always wondered
if your feelings for me were real.
Of course they are.
Real enough, I mean.
Compared to what you might have to sacrifice.
What are you talking about?
You know what I'm talking about.
A Randolph shouldn't marry someone like me
and you know it.
Well, I am a Randolph
and I get to say whether I should marry you or not.
And I say that I should.
Oh, tea.
Very nice.
You were out early this morning.
Yeah.
I wanted to get to the newspaper office.
See, I've got a pal in there
that can get a story out quick.
Look at that.
Obituaries.
Dr. Felix Randolph.
Oh, I've registered the death over at the town hall
and I've arranged the undertakers to collect the body.
You certainly don't waste any time, do you?
I'm just thinking of you, Archie.
Probate is a slow process
and I don't suppose this research brings
in much money, does it?
Well, one day it will.
One day I'll be able to prevent
what happened to Uncle Felix.
You're working on a cure for death now, are you?
Not exactly.
But restarting the heart after a major trauma.
It can be done, Everett.
It's entirely possible.
There was a case in Luxembourg
where a patient had been pronounced dead for 30 minutes
before being successfully revived.
And I'm replicating this process on my rats.
Do you know there's a lot of people in town
that make a lot of money out of killing rats.
And there you are, trying to bring the buggers back to life.
Well, all I'm trying to do now
is figure out this curse business.
It's my understanding that these ancient Egyptians
were rather advanced
with their pharmacological and medical knowledge.
Fascinating, I'm sure.
I've been meaning to ask you,
what exactly was it that you experienced?
Nothing.
It was just a dream.
Probably brought on by all that talk of extracting organs.
Yes.
Organs.
You said it wanted your heart.
What did?
Well, it was like nothing I'd ever seen before.
She had bandages,
head to toe in bandages.
A woman?
She was, once.
The Princess Khenmetptah.
Nonsense.
And even if it was some sort of curse,
then how comes it only affected Uncle Felix
and not the rest of you?
I don't know.
What was the name of that princess again?
Khenmetptah.
How do you spell that?
K-H-E-N-M-E-T-P-T-A-H.
Lovely. Thank you very much.
Why did you want to know that?
Just interested.
Knobby, get the clamp.
What's this?
It's my hand, Sykes.
You know, for the clamp.
We're a bit beyond that stage, Mr. Randolph.
There's something else you've got two of
that we're gonna be putting in the clamp today.
Get his pants off, lads.
Wait, wait, wait a minute.
You were supposed to come and see me
after your little meeting.
I was just on my way.
You were heading in the wrong direction.
No, I was just-
- Get him on the table, lads.
I had to sort out a few things, okay?
Take care of business.
Take care of what?
When are you getting this inheritance?
Obituaries. The back page.
Noted Explorer Felix Randolph.
He's dead?
Died last night.
Well, that was bloody quick.
Did you have something to do with this?
He had a weak heart.
Yeah.
I might have helped things move along a bit. Yeah.
Well, well.
I've got to say, I'm impressed, Everett.
I never thought you had the balls to do something like that.
Well, if it's all the same to you, Sykes,
I'd very much like to keep hold of them.
All right.
Let him go.
Much obliged.
So what can we expect to receive from your late uncle?
Oh, it's beautiful, Sykes.
It really is.
I mean, it's gold, jewel encrusted, 4,000 years old.
I mean, it's priceless.
Your share of it will certainly clear my debt with you.
My share of it?
You do make me laugh, Everett.
I mean, whoever said anything about shares?
You see, the plan is I get the inheritance.
And you?
You get to avoid what happened to Alice happening to you.
At least I'm not a woman, Sykes, eh?
Well, these labs aren't fussy, Everett.
They've done long stretches inside. You know how it is.
If I don't see some hard evidence
of all this money you're gonna make by the end of tomorrow,
you'll be a dead man.
All right?
Having exhausted the writings
on the wall of the tomb,
I began to research further into the life and death
of the princess.
Why had such a prominent person died at such a young age?
What I discovered shocked me to my core.
What are you reading?
This is Uncle Felix's journal.
I'm trying to figure out this curse business.
According to the journal,
it's only those who've had direct physical contact
with the sarcophagus who've fallen victim to it.
Well, Everett certainly did.
Rubbed his hand all over it
like he was in love with it.
In love with the gold and the jewels, I should imagine.
Which hand did he use?
His right, I think.
The same one he used to shake hands with Uncle Felix.
I wonder...
Everett Randolph.
Did you manage to pick up that jewelry I told you about?
I'm sorry, Ivy.
Just couldn't get the cash in time.
Can't win 'em all.
Maybe next time, eh?
I've actually got something for you.
Let's have a look at it then.
Well, it's not with me.
It's a bit big.
I need to cash it in quick.
It's in your line.
What is it? An antique?
Yeah, you could say that.
4,000 years old, to be exact.
What are you going to do?
Well, we've got to open her up.
Have a closer look at it.
Are you sure?
Don't worry.
I'll be careful.
Oh, you wait till you see it.
I mean, it's beautiful.
It's gold.
It's as big as a person.
It's priceless.
And actually buried an Egyptian princess inside it.
Khenmetptah.
You've heard of her, yeah?
Of course I have.
It's the one Felix Randolph dug up, isn't it?
Well, you see Felix was my uncle
and he died last night,
which is how I managed to get my hands on it.
Poor old Felix Randolph.
Finally caught up with him in the end.
What did?
The curse from that sarcophagus.
I thought so.
There's a layer of oil coating the sarcophagus.
I'll need to take a sample.
Be careful, Archie.
Not to worry.
I'm wearing gloves.
So you've heard about this curse then, have you?
Everybody knows about it.
Everybody in the trade, anyway.
Randolph had to charter his own ship to bring it to London.
No bugger would touch it.
It's all nonsense, Ivy.
And I heard someone on the ship
thought he'd have a butchers.
And it sent him mad.
He threw himself overboard.
Ivy, it's not that bad.
I touched it.
I'm not dead.
You what?
Get out.
And don't you dare bring that sarcophagus in here.
I don't wanna be anywhere near it.
Fine.
I'll take it over to Irish Bob's place then.
He'll tell you the same thing I did.
Anyone in the trade will.
That thing's not priceless.
It's worthless.
You couldn't pay anyone to take it off your hands.
Now go on.
Get out.
What are you doing?
I have a theory
that this curse is more pharmacological
than it is supernatural.
Everett used his right hand to touch the sarcophagus,
acquiring a thin coating of oil.
And then he shook hands with Uncle Felix,
passing it on to him.
I'm doing the same to one of my rats.
There are certain chemicals known
to have a psychotropic effect
when they enter the bloodstream.
Which means?
It makes you see things. Drives you insane.
Seems very possible to me
that these clever Egyptians created
some form of powerful psychotropic formula
and then mixed it with something, like ground thorns.
Something sharp enough to pierce the skin,
but small enough that you'd never feel it.
And then they coated the sarcophagus with it.
But-
- Wait, listen.
He's becoming agitated.
I think it's working.
It's horrible.
Poor thing.
Yes.
Right now he's experiencing pure terror
and then his body will release adrenaline,
too much for the heart to cope with.
It's only a matter of time before
he's dead.
Is that what happened to Dr. Randolph?
I'm afraid so.
Now we've just got to...
What is it?
Oh God.
I am so stupid. So bloody stupid.
What is it, Archie?
The oil.
If it can penetrate the skin, it can penetrate leather.
I'm dead.
Spare any change, mister?
You what?
Spare any change?
Does it look like I've got money to waste?
Looks like you got more than me.
Least you ain't begging in the streets.
Yeah, well, give it time.
I might be by tomorrow.
Come on, mister, just a penny.
I'll work for it.
I'll do anything for a penny.
All right, I'll think about it.
I'm always here, mister.
Day or night.
Just ask around for Shelly.
That's it, Nancy. As tight as you can.
If I start thrashing around, I'm liable to injure myself.
What else can I do?
Just watch over me.
If I go into a trance, you'll have to wake me.
How?
Do whatever it takes.
It won't be easy, but it's the only way to save my life.
You'll need to wake me before the adrenaline in my system
starts to overstimulate my heart and...
Nancy?
Oh God.
Okay.
Whatever you see, Archie, it is not real.
Oh Lord!
No!
No, no, no, my heart! No!
No!
No, not my heart.
Are you alright?
I think so.
My heart is pounding.
You make me feel the same way.
You did it, Nancy.
You saved my life.
I knew it.
I knew there was something going on between the two of you.
I didn't have you down as the kinky sort though.
You oughta watch her, Archie.
She'll have you wearing her dresses next.
I know the type.
Shut up and come and help untie me.
I've just been through
the same thing you and Uncle Felix have.
You've been cursed or what?
It's not a curse.
It's a psychotropic chemical.
It gets under your skin
and it makes you see things.
Terrible things.
And then your body starts to produce adrenaline,
too much for the heart to cope with.
And you die unless someone can snap you out of it.
And how did you work that out?
Science.
Science and research.
It's what I do. And Nancy assists me.
I bet she does.
This is the stuff.
Oh, be careful, Archie.
I've never seen anything quite like it.
This could be a very valuable discovery.
Valuable?
To the scientific community.
A valuable source of knowledge.
And there was me thinking
that maybe we could bottle it up and sell it.
Bloody hell, Archie,
there's gotta be some way of getting
some sort of value out of this thing.
Look, I'm gonna level with you, Archie.
I need to find a way of making some money fast.
Well, we'll have to sell the house eventually.
No, no, no.
Not eventually, Archie.
Now. Okay?
See, I owe a lot of money.
And if I don't find a way of making this money by tomorrow,
I'm dead.
Look, I don't know what to say.
Making money has never really been my strong suit.
Even Nancy and I are worried
about how we'll manage with Uncle Felix gone.
You're bloody useless. The pair of you are useless.
I don't even know why I'm talking to you.
What this?
Live on show tonight, the Hottentot Venus.
I've heard about that.
It's terribly cruel.
Some poor African woman they've put on show half undressed
for people to gawk at.
Tickets are thruppence a piece.
They've gotta be raking it in,
just to see this African woman
I've seen her actually.
You have?
Oh, it was with the Academy.
All of us went for educational purposes.
It's no more than a freak show.
She has very unusual physical characteristics.
That's a polite way of saying it.
I've got to get the dinner on.
What are you thinking?
If they're willing to play thruppence
to see some woman from Africa,
what would they be willing to pay
to see an actual ancient Egyptian princess?
Everett, you can't put a dead body on display.
Even if it is a thousand-year-old dead princess.
I'm not talking about a dead princess.
I'm talking about a live one.
I'm sorry? What?
Think about it, Archie.
A living, breathing historical artifact from far-off Egypt.
I mean, forget thruppence.
We could charge a pound pop
and they'll still be lining the streets outside.
It's possible to restart a heart, yeah?
You said that someone over in Finland did it.
Luxembourg.
And in that case, the patient had been dead for 30 minutes,
not 4,000 years.
What difference does it make?
Yeah, dead is dead.
As long as all the parts are in good nick.
This is ridiculous. It's unthinkable.
But it worked with the rats, didn't it?
How did you do that?
Well, I gave them a large shot of adrenaline.
But rats are much simpler beings than humans.
There's the higher brain function to consider.
Even if we could get her body going,
who's to say what condition the mind would be in.
I mean, you've gotta admit,
it's an intriguing idea.
And if it worked,
it would definitely make your name as a doctor.
I mean, Archie, you'd be world famous.
The man that conquered death!
And you and Nancy would never need to worry
about money ever again.
And neither would you, I suppose.
I'd only want my fair share, Archie.
And how much is your fair share,
considering I'd be doing most of the work?
So you are considering it?
Look, Everett, it's not that simple.
The body ought to be perfectly preserved,
but what if the mummification processes failed?
Or the organs, what if they're all putrified?
Let's get her out and have a proper look then.
Right now?
There's no time like the present, Archie.
And I did say that I was in a bit of a hurry, so...
All right, but we have to do this quickly.
I don't want Nancy to know about any of this.
She'd be appalled at the idea.
How do you know?
Because I'm appalled at the idea.
But you are intrigued by the possibility, aren't you?
Against my better judgment.
It must be that sense of adventure Felix always spoke about.
I dunno why I keep closing this.
I only end up opening it back up again.
Do you want a hand with it?
Grab the chisel.
And now for the fun part.
Let's crack it open.
Come on then, let's have a proper look at her.
Too dark to see anything in that basement.
I wouldn't get your hopes up, Everett.
Giddy aunt.
You know, I'm starting to think
that people'd actually pay just to see her like this.
Well, she won't stay like this for long.
See, the sarcophagus was sealed airtight.
Now that she's out in the oxygen,
her body's going to start to atrophy
unless I can get her blood moving.
And then...
What?
It's no use, Everett.
This is never going to work.
In the case in Luxembourg,
the patient had only been dead for 30 minutes.
But I thought we agreed that...
The purpose of blood is to carry oxygen
to all of the internal organs.
If you say so.
Blood is oxygenated from the lungs breathing in and out.
Well, after 4,000 years in a sarcophagus,
any blood that remains in her body,
well, it's not going to have any oxygen in it.
Before we start her heart,
we're going to have to do a blood transfusion.
What's that mean?
It means we're going to need blood.
Fresh blood from a living, breathing human volunteer.
Well, don't look at me.
Well, do you want to do this or not?
Yeah, of course.
Then we need to do it by tonight,
before the body starts to decay.
I've got an idea.
Have you got a penny I can borrow?
Whatever for?
Wait and see, Archie.
Wait and see.
Look, I need to nip out.
I'll be back later tonight.
You're going out?
But we need to open her up.
We need to check the condition of her organs.
Oh Christ. You don't need me to help you with that.
No, I suppose not.
But it is going to take some time.
I have to put everything back exactly where I found it.
Well, you better get on with it then, hadn't you?
I'll
see you later.
I'm sorry-
- It doesn't matter.
No, I mean about Everett.
Everett's always been a bit difficult.
But having seen the way the family have treated him,
I can hardly blame him.
I can hardly believe the two of you are related.
Well, we might not be actually.
Rumor at the time was that Everett's father, my uncle,
was not actually his father,
if you know what I mean.
It was a big scandal at the time.
Tarnished the family name.
So the entire family shunned Everett.
I see.
Plus his father was an inveterate gambler.
He lost fortunes at the card tables so
Everett had to make his own way in the world.
And is the family name still important to you?
What do you mean?
If people found out about you and me,
would you be ashamed of me?
No. Of course not.
But you know how people are.
It still feels funny sitting at this table with you,
instead of eating by myself in the kitchen.
I do miss Dr. Randolph,
but it's so nice just to be myself around the house
instead of keeping everything secret.
What is it, Archie?
Is something wrong?
I have never kept secrets, Nancy.
Not from you, I mean.
I know that, Archie.
So if I asked you to trust me, would you?
What are you getting at?
Me and Everett, we're working on something.
Oh no. What has he talked you into?
It's something that could be incredible.
It could be fantastic.
It could solve all of our problems.
Or...
Or what?
Or it could be a horrible nightmare.
And for that reason, after dinner, Nancy,
I want you to go to your room and stay there until morning.
Do not come out, no matter what you hear.
What on earth are you talking about?
Please, Nancy.
Promise me.
But what if you get into trouble?
Is it something to do with that sarcophagus?
No. No.
We won't be going near that again.
I still don't like the sound of this.
I know.
And I knew you wouldn't,
but I have to try this.
And if it does work,
we'd never have to worry about money again.
All right, Archie.
I trust you.
But I don't trust your cousin.
Neither do I.
But I don't think I can do this without him.
Remember what I said.
Stay in your room tonight.
We'll know if we've succeeded by the morning.
It isn't something dangerous, is it?
I don't know.
I don't think so.
And you're sure Everett isn't forcing you?
I'll admit, he can be very persuasive.
If at any time I don't feel like I'm doing the right thing,
I'll put a stop to it.
All right?
Why did they do this to you?
So there it was,
the truth about Khenmetptah.
There was no other such case in recorded history,
making my find absolutely unique.
Unique, and yet so grim
I feared no museum would ever dare exhibit it.
This is a nice house.
Is it yours?
No.
Not yet.
What is it that you want me to do then?
Look, I've already said.
It's hard to explain.
Archie, this is Shelly.
Our healthy volunteer.
Pleased to meet you, Archie.
Thank you for agreeing to come.
So how's it going?
Fine.
How were the innards?
Fine.
Well, rather extraordinary, actually.
So we're in business then.
Look, Everett,
I've been reading Uncle Felix's journal.
There's some more information here regarding our-
- It sounds beautiful.
Maybe you could tell me about that later.
Sorry to interrupt you two gentlemen,
but what is it exactly that you wanted me to do?
You haven't told her why she's here?
Well, I thought it would be better coming from you.
God.
All right.
Shelly, is it?
Why don't you lay on the bed?
I knew it.
With the two of you at once, is it?
No, no, no, no, no.
You got me here under false pretenses.
You did say that you would do anything for a penny.
I didn't mean that.
I might be a beggar, but I'm not a whore!
If I may, all we need is some of your blood.
What the bleeding hell is this?
Look, we can explain.
Help. Help! Police!
Murder!
Let me go!
Get off me! Let me go!
Calm down!
Get off me! Get off of me, you murderers!
Well, this is just great.
Hold on.
It's all right.
She's just out cold.
This is not right, Everett.
This is awful.
Come on.
Help me get her up on the bed.
I promised Nancy that if,
at any point, I felt uncomfortable with this,
I would put a stop to it.
Oh yeah?
In any case, the girl will never agree to it.
Well, she doesn't have to now, does she?
You can just do your thing.
While she's unconscious?
That is entirely unethical.
Nevermind dangerous!
How would we know if we've taken too much blood?
This whole thing is becoming intolerable.
Is it?
Yes, it is.
And I haven't even told you the worst of it.
Has it never even occurred to you
as to why the princess was interred at such a young age?
How she died?
No, Archie, it didn't occur to me.
And, what's more, I don't care.
But if you are thinking of backing out on me,
I got news for you.
While I was out,
I popped in to see my pal over at the newspaper.
He was delighted when I gave him this little tip
about this young heir from a well-to-do family
who's been caught having his wicked way with the maid.
You know how much the press love a scandal.
Especially when it involves a Randolph.
They're going to print that?
Not if I put a stop to it. No.
What?
They call it a dead-man's switch, Archie.
Every day I go into the office,
I tell 'em to put an hold on the story.
But when that day comes that I don't show up, well...
It goes to print.
We're doing this, Archie, whether you like it or not.
There.
The transfusion has begun.
So how long is this gonna take then?
Well, the average person
has about eight pints of blood in their body.
Now, that's what carries oxygen to all of the organs.
Naturally, we can't take all eight pints.
Why's that?
She would die.
Right.
All we need is enough
to get the heart pumping the blood around the body.
And then once the organs start to work,
the princess's body will start
to generate its own blood supply.
And how do we know when we've got enough blood?
I have no idea.
To be honest, this is all guesswork.
Guesswork?
I thought you was meant to be a doctor.
This isn't exactly what doctors do, Everett.
So what happens after this blood trans-
- Well, there comes the hard part.
We need adrenaline.
I've only ever done that on rats.
Done what?
Extracted it.
Pure adrenaline.
4,000-year-old heart, it's going need a rather large dose.
Now the body only creates it under certain conditions.
When they're scared, right?
See, I was listening.
And I was never exactly sure on how we were going to-
- Is she waking up?
No, she looks too weak.
Shelly, Shelly, wake up!
Shelly!
What are you doing?
She's losing too much blood.
I've got to turn it off.
What if it's not enough blood to wake up the princess?
Everett, she's going to die.
Leave it a bit longer.
I said leave it.
She's dead.
This is over.
Nah, it's not over until I say it is.
A girl has died.
Well better her than me.
What's going on?
Nancy, I told you not to come down.
How could I stay upstairs
with all the crashing and the screaming and...
Get back.
Archie, what's going on?
It's okay, Nancy.
It's over now.
It's not over, Archie.
Not by a long shot.
Now, we've got Egyptian princess over there
full of fresh blood.
And you are gonna restart her heart.
Everett, I can't.
Not now that Shelly's dead.
I can't extract adrenaline from a corpse.
I need a working adrenal gland.
I suppose we're gonna need a new volunteer.
No, no, I won't do it.
I don't care if you blackmail me.
Well, if you don't do it,
then your little maid here is gonna get a little bullet
in the back of her little head.
There's a chair.
Now tie her up nice and tight.
I'm so sorry, Nancy.
Don't worry, Archie.
I'm not scared.
You say you're not scared, eh?
Well I just won't do, will it?
That won't get the old adrenaline pumping.
But luckily I've got something
that will help us along with that.
No! It's too dangerous.
But it works, doesn't it?
You said so yourself.
A little bit of this on the skin will soon
get those glands working overtime.
Use me instead.
Put it on me.
Use my adrenaline.
That's very commendable, that, Archie.
But who's gonna extract it?
Get outta the way.
Just a little bit, Nancy.
We don't want you having a attack
before we're ready now, do we?
Listen, Nancy, whatever you see,
just remember it isn't real.
Haven't you got work to do?
Jesus!
What are you doing? What's that?
An anatomy book.
I've never done this on a human before.
I need to get the location
of the adrenal gland exactly right.
God, it's starting!
Come over here and help me, damn it!
Hold her still.
Do it.
It didn't work.
What?
It didn't work, Everett.
There was only ever a small chance.
A small chance?
This was life or death for me, Archie.
And you knew that.
You Randolphs are all the same.
Always treated me like dirt on the bottom of your shoe.
Denied me of my, my, inheritance!
Now you've utterly ruined me!
What are you looking at?
What's she doing?
I tried to tell you, Everett.
She's a killer, a murderer!
They didn't mummify her because she died.
She was buried alive!
No!
There is one item so dangerous
it must never see the light of day.
The sarcophagus of Khenmetptah.
It's a shame to have to say goodbye to the old place.
We've no choice, Archie.
Not since they printed that news story.
I love you, Nancy, and I don't care who knows.
That's easy for you to say,
I'd rather not have people pointing and whispering
every time I go into town to get groceries.
We would've had to have moved sooner or later.
I can't keep a house like this, not on a doctor's salary.
What did you do with it in the end?
With what?
You know what.
That thing.
Exactly as Uncle Felix requested,
I've moved it back down to the basement.
And there's a group of builders coming this afternoon
to seal it with brick.
I don't think I'll ever fully get over it.
What I saw that night.
You will, Nancy.
When we're far away from here.
I hear the houses in Coventry are cheap
and there's an urgent shortage of doctors.
Best of all, they've never even heard of a Randolph.
What's that?
Front door key for the builders.
Who are they?
Some company in town.
Sykes or something.
Well, well.
Looks like poor Everett was being honest after all.
Christ, it's even bigger than I imagined.
Nobby, pass us a hammer.
Here we go, lads.
It's coming loose.
Here we go.