the unknown guest(陌生客)-第35节
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spends its life； one may say； in a perpetual dream。 It does what is strictly
necessary to keep itself alive； and all the rest passes over it and does not
penetrate at all into its hermetically closed imaginings。 Exceptional
circumstancessome extraordinary need； wish； passion or shockare
required to produce what M。 Hachet…Souplet calls 〃the psychic flash〃
which suddenly thaws and galvanizes its brain； placing it for a minute in
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the waking state in which the human brain works normally。 Nor is this
surprising。 It does not need that awakening in order to exist； and we know
that nature never makes great superfluous efforts。。 〃The intellect；〃 as
Professor Clarapede well says； 〃appears only as a makeshift； an instrument
which betrays that the organism is not adapted to its environment； a mode
of expression which reveals a state of impotence。〃
It is probable that our brain at first suffered from the same lethargy； a
condition； for that matter； from which many men have not yet emerged；
and it is even more probable that； compared with other modes of existence；
with other psychic phenomena； on another plane and in another sphere； the
dense sleep in which we move is similar to that in which the lower animals
have their being。 It also is traversed； with increasing frequency； by psychic
flashes of a different order and a different scope。 Seeing； on the one side；
the intellectual movement that seems to be spreading among our lesser
brothers and； on the other； the ever more constantly repeated
manifestations of our subconsciousness； we might even ask ourselves if
we have not here； on two different planes； a tension； a parallel pressure； a
new desire； a new attempt of the mysterious spiritual force which animates
the universe and which seems to be incessantly seeking fresh outlets and
fresh conducting rods。 Be this as it may； when the flash has passed； we
behave very much as the animals do： we promptly lapse into the
indifferent sleep which suffices also for our miserable ways。 We ask no
more of it； we do not follow the luminous trail that summons us to an
unknown world； we go on turning in our dismal circle； like contented
sleep…walkers； while Isis' sistrum rattles without respite to rouse the
faithful。
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I repeat； the great miracle of Elberfeld is that of having been able to
prolong and reproduce at will those isolated 〃psychic flashes。〃 The horses；
in comparison with the other animals； are here in the state of a man whose
subliminal consciousness had gained the upper hand。 That man would lead
a higher existence； in an almost immaterial atmosphere； of which the
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phenomena of metaphysics； sparks falling from a region which we shall
perhaps one day reach； sometimes give us an uncertain and fleeting
glimpse。 Our intelligence； which is really lethargy and which keeps us
imprisoned in a little hollow of space and time； would there be replaced by
intuition； or rather by a sort of imminent knowledge which would
forthwith make us sharers in all that is known to a universe which perhaps
knows all things。 Unfortunately； we have not； or at least； unlike the horses；
we are not acquainted with a superior being who interests himself in us
and helps us to throw off our torpor。 We have to become our own god； to
rise above ourselves and to keep ourselves raised by our unaided strength。
It is almost certain that the horse would never have come out of his
nebulous sphere without man's assistance； but it is not forbidden to hope
that man； with no other help than his own courage and high purpose； may
yet succeed in breaking through the sleep that cramps him and blinds him。
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To come back then to our horses and to the main point； which is the
isolated 〃psychic flash；〃 it is admitted that they know the values of figures；
that they can distinguish and identify smells； colours； forms； objects and
even graphic reproductions of those objects。 They also understand a large
number of words； including some of which they were； never taught the
meaning； but which they picked up as they went along by hearing them
spoken around them。 They have learnt； with the assistance of an
exceedingly complicated alphabet； to reproduce the words； thanks to
which they manage to convey impressions； sensations； wishes；
associations of ideas； observations and even spontaneous reflections。 It has
been held that all this implies real acts of intelligence。 It is； in fact； often
very difficult to decide exactly how far it is intelligence and how far
memory； instinct； imitative genius； obedience or mechanical impulse； the
effects of training； or happy coincidences。
There are cases； however； which admit of little or no hesitation。 I give
a few。
One day Krall and his collaborator； Dr。 Scholler； thought that they
would try and teach Mohammed to express himself in speech。 The horse； a
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docile and eager pupil； made touching and fruitless efforts to reproduce
human sounds。 Suddenly； he stopped and； in his strange phonetic spelling；
declared； by striking his foot on the spring…board：
〃Ig hb kein gud Sdim。 I have not a good voice。〃
Observing that he did not open his mouth； they strove to make him
understand； by the example of a dog； with pictures； and so on； that； in
order to speak； it is necessary to separate the jaws。 They next asked him：
〃What must you do to speak？〃
He replied； by striking with his foot：
〃Open mouth。〃
〃Why don't you open yours？〃
〃Weil kan nigd： because I can't。〃
A few days after； Zarif was asked how he talks to Mohammed。
〃Mit Munt： with mouth。〃
〃Why don't you tell me that with your mouth？〃
〃Weil ig kein Stim hbe： because I have no voice。〃 Does not this answer；
as Krall remarks； allow us to suppose that he has other means than speech
of conversing with his stable…companion？
In the course of another lesson； Mohammed was shown the portrait of
a young girl whom he did not know。
〃What's that？〃 asked his master。
〃Metgen： a girl？〃
On the black…board：
〃Why is it a girl？〃
〃Weil lang Hr hd： because she has long hair。〃
〃And what has she not？〃
〃Moustache。〃
They next produced the likeness of man with no moustache。
〃What's this？〃
〃Why is it a man？〃
〃Weil kurz Hr hd： because he has short hair。〃
I could multiply these examples indefinitely by drawing on the
voluminous Elberfeld minutes； which； I may say in passing； have the
convincing force of photographic records。 All this； it must be agreed； is
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unexpected and disconcerting； had never been foreseen or suspected and
may be regarded as one of the strangest prodigies； one of the most
stupefying revelations that have taken place since man has dwelt in this
world of riddles； Nevertheless； by reflecting； by comparing； by
investigating； by regarding certain forgotten or neglected landmarks and
starting…points； by taking into consideration the thousand imperceptible
gradations between the greatest and the least； the highest and the lowest； it
is still possible to explain； admit and understand。 We can； if it comes to
that； imagine that； in his secret self； in his tragic silence； our dog also
makes similar remarks and reflections。 Once again； the miraculous bridge
which； in this instance； spans the gulf between the animal and man is
