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The¡¡Unknown¡¡Guest

by¡¡Maurice¡¡Maeterlinck

Translated¡¡by¡¡Alexander¡¡Teixeira¡¡de¡¡Mattos





INTRODUCTION

1

My¡¡Essay¡¡on¡¡Death£§1£§¡¡led¡¡me¡¡to¡¡make¡¡a¡¡conscientious¡¡enquiry¡¡into¡¡the¡¡present¡¡position¡¡of¡¡the¡¡great¡¡mystery£»¡¡an¡¡enquiry¡¡which¡¡I¡¡have¡¡endeavoured¡¡to¡¡render¡¡as¡¡complete¡¡as¡¡possible¡£¡¡I¡¡had¡¡hoped¡¡that¡¡a¡¡single¡¡volume¡¡would¡¡be¡¡able¡¡to¡¡contain¡¡the¡¡result¡¡of¡¡these¡¡investigations£»¡¡which£»¡¡I¡¡may¡¡say¡¡at¡¡once£»¡¡will¡¡teach¡¡nothing¡¡to¡¡those¡¡who¡¡have¡¡been¡¡over¡¡the¡¡same¡¡ground¡¡and¡¡which¡¡have¡¡nothing¡¡to¡¡recommend¡¡them¡¡except¡¡their¡¡sincerity£»¡¡their¡¡impartiality¡¡and¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡scrupulous¡¡accuracy¡£¡¡But£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡proceeded£»¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡field¡¡widening¡¡under¡¡my¡¡feet£»¡¡so¡¡much¡¡so¡¡that¡¡I¡¡have¡¡been¡¡obliged¡¡to¡¡divide¡¡my¡¡work¡¡into¡¡two¡¡almost¡¡equal¡¡parts¡£¡¡The¡¡first¡¡is¡¡now¡¡published¡¡and¡¡is¡¡a¡¡brief¡¡study¡¡of¡¡veridical¡¡apparitions¡¡and¡¡hallucinations¡¡and¡¡haunted¡¡houses£»¡¡or£»¡¡if¡¡you¡¡will£»¡¡the¡¡phantasms¡¡of¡¡the¡¡living¡¡and¡¡the¡¡dead£»¡¡of¡¡those¡¡manifestations¡¡which¡¡have¡¡been¡¡oddly¡¡and¡¡not¡¡very¡¡appropriately¡¡described¡¡as¡¡¡¨psychometric¡¨£»¡¡of¡¡the¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡future£º¡¡presentiments£»¡¡omens£»¡¡premonitions£»¡¡precognitions¡¡and¡¡the¡¡rest£»¡¡and¡¡lastly¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Elberfeld¡¡horses¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡second£»¡¡which¡¡will¡¡be¡¡published¡¡later£»¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡treat¡¡of¡¡the¡¡miracles¡¡of¡¡Lourdes¡¡and¡¡other¡¡places£»¡¡the¡¡phenomena¡¡of¡¡so¡¡called¡¡materialization£»¡¡of¡¡the¡¡divining¡­rod¡¡and¡¡of¡¡fluidic¡¡asepsis£»¡¡not¡¡unmindful¡¡withal¡¡of¡¡a¡¡diamond¡¡dust¡¡of¡¡the¡¡miraculous¡¡that¡¡hangs¡¡over¡¡the¡¡greater¡¡marvels¡¡in¡¡that¡¡strange¡¡atmosphere¡¡into¡¡which¡¡we¡¡are¡¡about¡¡to¡¡pass¡£

£§1£§¡¡Published¡¡in¡¡English£»¡¡in¡¡an¡¡enlarged¡¡form£»¡¡under¡¡the¡¡title¡¡of¡¡Our¡¡Eternity¡¡£¨London¡¡and¡¡New¡¡York£»¡¡1913£©Translator's¡¡Note¡£


2

When¡¡I¡¡speak¡¡of¡¡the¡¡present¡¡position¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mystery£»¡¡I¡¡of¡¡course¡¡do¡¡not¡¡mean¡¡the¡¡mystery¡¡of¡¡life£»¡¡its¡¡end¡¡and¡¡its¡¡beginnings£»¡¡nor¡¡yet¡¡the¡¡great¡¡riddle¡¡of¡¡the¡¡universe¡¡which¡¡lies¡¡about¡¡us¡£¡¡In¡¡this¡¡sense£»¡¡all¡¡is¡¡mystery£»¡¡and£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡have¡¡said¡¡elsewhere£»¡¡is¡¡likely¡¡always¡¡to¡¡remain¡¡so£»¡¡nor¡¡is¡¡it¡¡probable¡¡that¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡ever¡¡touch¡¡any¡¡point¡¡of¡¡even¡¡the¡¡utmost¡¡borders¡¡of¡¡knowledge¡¡or¡¡certainty¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡here¡¡a¡¡question¡¡of¡¡that¡¡which£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡midst¡¡of¡¡this¡¡recognized¡¡and¡¡usual¡¡mystery£»¡¡the¡¡familiar¡¡mystery¡¡of¡¡which¡¡we¡¡are¡¡almost¡¡oblivious£»¡¡suddenly¡¡disturbs¡¡the¡¡regular¡¡course¡¡of¡¡our¡¡general¡¡ignorance¡£¡¡In¡¡themselves£»¡¡these¡¡facts¡¡which¡¡strike¡¡us¡¡as¡¡supernatural¡¡are¡¡no¡¡more¡¡so¡¡than¡¡the¡¡others£»¡¡possibly¡¡they¡¡are¡¡rarer£»¡¡or£»¡¡to¡¡be¡¡more¡¡accurate£»¡¡less¡¡frequently¡¡or¡¡less¡¡easily¡¡observed¡£¡¡In¡¡any¡¡case£»¡¡their¡¡deep¡­seated¡¡cause£»¡¡while¡¡being¡¡probably¡¡neither¡¡more¡¡remote¡¡nor¡¡more¡¡difficult¡¡access£»¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡lie¡¡hidden¡¡in¡¡an¡¡unknown¡¡region¡¡less¡¡often¡¡visited¡¡by¡¡our¡¡science£»¡¡which¡¡after¡¡all¡¡is¡¡but¡¡a¡¡reassuring¡¡and¡¡conciliatory¡¡espression¡¡of¡¡our¡¡ignorance¡£¡¡Today£»¡¡thanks¡¡to¡¡the¡¡labours¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Society¡¡for¡¡Psychical¡¡Research¡¡and¡¡a¡¡host¡¡of¡¡other¡¡seekers£»¡¡we¡¡are¡¡able¡¡to¡¡approach¡¡these¡¡phenomena¡¡as¡¡a¡¡whole¡¡with¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡confidence¡£¡¡Leaving¡¡the¡¡realm¡¡of¡¡legend£»¡¡of¡¡after¡­dinner¡¡stories£»¡¡old¡¡wives'¡¡tales£»¡¡illusions¡¡and¡¡exaggerations£»¡¡we¡¡find¡¡ourselves¡¡at¡¡last¡¡on¡¡circumscribed¡¡but¡¡fairly¡¡safe¡¡ground¡£¡¡This¡¡does¡¡not¡¡mean¡¡that¡¡there¡¡are¡¡no¡¡other¡¡supernatural¡¡phenomena¡¡besides¡¡those¡¡collected¡¡in¡¡the¡¡publications¡¡of¡¡the¡¡society¡¡in¡¡question¡¡and¡¡in¡¡a¡¡few¡¡of¡¡the¡¡more¡¡weighty¡¡reviews¡¡which¡¡have¡¡adopted¡¡the¡¡same¡¡methods¡£¡¡Notwithstanding¡¡all¡¡their¡¡diligence£»¡¡which¡¡for¡¡over¡¡thirty¡¡years¡¡has¡¡been¡¡ransacking¡¡the¡¡obscure¡¡corners¡¡of¡¡our¡¡planet£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡inevitable¡¡that¡¡a¡¡good¡¡many¡¡things¡¡escape¡¡their¡¡notice£»¡¡besides¡¡which¡¡the¡¡rigour¡¡of¡¡their¡¡investigations¡¡makes¡¡them¡¡reject¡¡three¡¡fourths¡¡of¡¡those¡¡which¡¡are¡¡brought¡¡before¡¡them¡£¡¡But¡¡we¡¡may¡¡say¡¡that¡¡the¡¡twenty¡­six¡¡volumes¡¡of¡¡the¡¡society¡¡is¡¡Proceedings¡¡and¡¡the¡¡fifteen¡¡or¡¡sixteen¡¡volumes¡¡of¡¡its¡¡Journal£»¡¡together¡¡with¡¡the¡¡twenty¡­three¡¡annuals¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Annales¡¡des¡¡Sciences¡¡Psychiques£»¡¡to¡¡mention¡¡only¡¡this¡¡one¡¡periodical¡¡of¡¡signal¡¡excellence£»¡¡embrace¡¡for¡¡the¡¡moment¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡field¡¡of¡¡the¡¡extraordinary¡¡and¡¡offer¡¡some¡¡instances¡¡of¡¡all¡¡the¡¡abnormal¡¡manifestations¡¡of¡¡the¡¡inexplicable¡£¡¡We¡¡are¡¡henceforth¡¡able¡¡to¡¡classify¡¡them£»¡¡to¡¡divide¡¡and¡¡subdivide¡¡them¡¡into¡¡general£»¡¡species¡¡and¡¡varieties¡£¡¡This¡¡is¡¡not¡¡much£»¡¡you¡¡may¡¡say£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡is¡¡thus¡¡that¡¡every¡¡science¡¡begins¡¡and¡¡furthermore¡¡that¡¡many¡¡a¡¡one¡¡ends¡£¡¡We¡¡have¡¡therefore¡¡sufficient¡¡evidence£»¡¡facts¡¡that¡¡can¡¡scarcely¡¡be¡¡disputed£»¡¡to¡¡enable¡¡us¡¡to¡¡consult¡¡them¡¡profitably£»¡¡to¡¡recognize¡¡whither¡¡they¡¡lead£»¡¡to¡¡form¡¡some¡¡idea¡¡of¡¡their¡¡general¡¡character¡¡and¡¡perhaps¡¡to¡¡trace¡¡their¡¡sole¡¡source¡¡by¡¡gradually¡¡removing¡¡the¡¡weeds¡¡and¡¡rubbish¡¡which¡¡for¡¡so¡¡many¡¡hundreds¡¡and¡¡thousands¡¡of¡¡years¡¡have¡¡hidden¡¡it¡¡from¡¡our¡¡eyes¡£

3

Truth¡¡to¡¡tell£»¡¡these¡¡supernatural¡¡manifestations¡¡seem¡¡less¡¡marvelous¡¡and¡¡less¡¡fantastic¡¡than¡¡they¡¡did¡¡some¡¡centuries¡¡ago£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡are¡¡at¡¡first¡¡a¡¡little¡¡disappointed¡£¡¡One¡¡would¡¡think¡¡that¡¡even¡¡the¡¡mysterious¡¡has¡¡its¡¡ups¡¡and¡¡downs¡¡and¡¡remains¡¡subject¡¡to¡¡the¡¡caprices¡¡of¡¡some¡¡strange¡¡extra¡¡mundane¡¡fashion£»¡¡or¡¡perhaps£»¡¡to¡¡be¡¡more¡¡exact£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡evident¡¡that¡¡the¡¡majority¡¡of¡¡those¡¡legendary¡¡miracles¡¡could¡¡not¡¡withstand¡¡the¡¡rigorous¡¡scrutiny¡¡of¡¡our¡¡day¡£¡¡Those¡¡which¡¡emerge¡¡triumphant¡¡from¡¡the¡¡test¡¡and¡¡defy¡¡our¡¡less¡¡credulous¡¡and¡¡more¡¡penetrating¡¡vision¡¡are¡¡all¡¡the¡¡more¡¡worthy¡¡of¡¡holding¡¡our¡¡attention¡£¡¡They¡¡are¡¡not¡¡the¡¡last¡¡survivals¡¡of¡¡the¡¡riddle£»¡¡for¡¡this¡¡continues¡¡to¡¡exist¡¡in¡¡its¡¡entirety¡¡and¡¡grows¡¡greater¡¡in¡¡proportion¡¡as¡¡we¡¡throw¡¡light¡¡upon¡¡it£»¡¡but¡¡we¡¡can¡¡perhaps¡¡see¡¡in¡¡them¡¡the¡¡supreme¡¡or¡¡else¡¡the¡¡first¡¡efforts¡¡of¡¡a¡¡force¡¡which¡¡does¡¡not¡¡appear¡¡to¡¡reside¡¡wholly¡¡in¡¡our¡¡sphere¡£¡¡They¡¡suggest¡¡blows¡¡struck¡¡from¡¡without¡¡by¡¡an¡¡Unknown¡¡even¡¡more¡¡unknown¡¡than¡¡that¡¡which¡¡we¡¡think¡¡we¡¡know£»¡¡an¡¡Unknown¡¡which¡¡is¡¡not¡¡that¡¡of¡¡the¡¡universe£»¡¡not¡¡that¡¡which¡¡we¡¡have¡¡gradually¡¡made¡¡into¡¡an¡¡inoffensive¡¡and¡¡amiable¡¡Unknown£»¡¡even¡¡as¡¡we¡¡have¡¡made¡¡the¡¡universe¡¡a¡¡son¡¡of¡¡province¡¡of¡¡the¡¡earth£»¡¡but¡¡a¡¡stranger¡¡arriving¡¡from¡¡another¡¡world£»¡¡an¡¡unexpected¡¡visitor¡¡who¡¡comes¡¡in¡¡a¡¡rather¡¡sinister¡¡way¡¡to¡¡trouble¡¡the¡¡comfortable¡¡quiet¡¡in¡¡which¡¡we¡¡were¡¡slumbering£»¡¡rocked¡¡by¡¡the¡¡firm¡¡and¡¡watchful¡¡hand¡¡of¡¡orthodox¡¡science¡£

4

Let¡¡us¡¡first¡¡be¡¡content¡¡to¡¡enumerate¡¡them¡£¡¡We¡¡shall¡¡find¡¡that¡¡we¡¡have¡¡table¡­turning£»¡¡with¡¡its¡¡raps£»¡¡the¡¡movements¡¡and¡¡transportations¡¡of¡¡inanimate¡¡objects¡¡without¡¡contact£»¡¡luminous¡¡phenomena£»¡¡lucidite£»¡¡or¡¡clairvoyance£»¡¡veridical¡¡apparitions¡¡or¡¡hallucinations£»¡¡haunted¡¡houses£»¡¡bilocations¡¡and¡¡so¡¡forth£»¡¡communications¡¡with¡¡the¡¡dead£»¡¡the¡¡divining¡­rod£»¡¡the¡¡miraculous¡¡cures¡¡of¡¡Lourdes¡¡and¡¡elsewhere£»¡¡fluidic¡¡asepsis£»¡¡and¡¡lastly¡¡the¡¡famous¡¡thinking¡¡animals¡¡of¡¡Elberfeld¡¡and¡¡Mannheim¡£¡¡These£»¡¡if¡¡I¡¡be¡¡not¡¡mistaken£»¡¡after¡¡eliminating¡¡all¡¡that¡¡is¡¡in£»¡¡sufficiently¡¡attested£»¡¡constitute¡¡the¡¡residue¡¡or¡¡caput¡¡mortuum¡¡of¡¡this¡¡latter¡­day¡¡miracle¡£

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