It may--possibly it does--contain forces that we wot not of.

We cannot open it; it must be closed from within.

How then was it closed?
It is a coffer of solid stone, of amazing hardness, more like a jewel than an ordinary marble, with a lid equally solid; and yet all is so finely wrought that the finest tool made today cannot be inserted under the flange.

How was it wrought to such perfection?
How was the stone so chosen that those translucent patches match the relations of the seven stars of the constellation?
How is it, or from what cause, that when the starlight shines on it, it glows from within--that when I fix the lamps in similar form the glow grows greater still; and yet the box is irresponsive to ordinary light however great?
I tell you that that box hides some great mystery of science.

We shall find that the light will open it in some way: either by striking on some substance, sensitive in a peculiar way to its effect, or in releasing some greater power.