the unknown guest(陌生客)-第20节
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case of the divining…rod is almost the only one in which it lends us any
regular assistance； this being a sort of game； of no great importance； in
which it appears to take pleasure。 Sometimes； to say all that can be said； it
consents to cure certain ailments； cleanses an ulcer； closes a wound； heals
a lung； strengthens or makes supple an arm or leg； or even sets bones； but
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always as it were by accident； without reason； method or object； in a
deceitful； illogical and preposterous fashion。 One would set it down as a
spoilt child that has been allowed to lay hands on the most tremendous
secrets of heaven and earth； it has no suspicion of their power； jumbles
them all up together and turns them into paltry； inoffensive toys。 It knows
everything； perhaps； but is ignorant of the uses of its knowledge； It has its
arms laden with treasures which it scatters in the wrong manner and at the
wrong time； giving bread to the thirsty and water to the hungry；
overloading those who refuse and stripping the suppliant bare； pursuing
those who flee from it and fleeing from those who pursue it。 Lastly； even
at its best moments； it behaves as though the fate of the being in whose
depths it dwells interested it hardly at all； as though it had but an
insignificant share in his misfortunes； feeling assured； one might almost
think； of an independent and endless existence。
It is not surprising； therefore； when we know its habits； that its
communications on the subject of the future should be as fantastic as the
other manifestations of its knowledge or its power。 Let us add； to be quite
fair； that； in those warnings which we would wish to see efficacious； it
stumbles against the same difficulties as the spirits or other alien
intelligences uselessly foretelling the event which they cannot prevent； or
annihilating the event by the very fact of foretelling it。
18
And now； to end the question； is our unknown guest alone responsible？
Does it explain itself badly or do we not understand it？ When we look into
the matter closely； there is； under those anomalous and confused
manifestations； in spite of efforts which we feel to be enormous and
persevering； a sort of incapacity for self expression and action which is
bound to attract our attention。 Is our conscious and individual life
separated by impenetrable worlds from our subconscious and probably
universal life？ Does our unknown guest speak an unknown language and
do the words which it speaks and which we think that we understand
disclose its thought？ Is every direct road pitilessly barred and is there
nothing left to it but narrow； dosed paths in which the best of what it had
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to reveal to us is lost？ Is this the reason why it seeks those odd； childish；
roundabout ways of automatic writing； cross…correspondence； symbolic
premonition and all the rest？ Yet； in the typical case which we have quoted；
it seems to speak quite easily and plainly when it says to the mother：
〃Turn the mattress。〃
If it can utter this sentence； why should it find it difficult or impossible
to add：
〃You will find the matches there that will set fire to the curtains。〃
What forbids it to do so and closes its mouth at the decisive moment？
We relapse into the everlasting question： if it cannot complete the second
sentence because it would be destroying in the womb the very event which
it is foretelling； why does it utter the first？
19
But it is well in spite of everything to seek an explanation of the
inexplicable； it is by attacking it on every side； at all hazards； that we
cherish the hope of overcoming it； and we may therefore say to ourselves
that our subconsciousness； when it warns us of a calamity that is about to
fall upon us； knowing all the future as it does； necessarily knows that the
calamity is already accomplished。 As our conscious and unconscious lives
blend in it； it distresses itself and flutters around our overconfident
ignorance。 It tries to inform us； through nervousness； through pity； so as to
mitigate the lightning cruelty of the blow。 It speaks all the words that can
prepare us for its coming； define it and identify it； but it is unable to say
those which would prevent it from coming； seeing that it has come； that it
is already present and perhaps past； manifest； ineffaceable； on another
plane than that on which we live； the only plane which we are capable of
perceiving。 It finds itself； in a word； in the position of the man who； in the
midst of peaceful； happy and unsuspecting folk； alone knows some bad
news。 He is neither able nor willing to announce it nor yet to hide it
completely。 He hesitates； delays； makes more or less transparent allusions；
but does not either say the last word that would； so to speak； let loose the
catastrophe in the hearts of the people around him； for to those who do not
know of it the catastrophe is still as though it were not there。 Our
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subconsciousness； in that case； would act towards the future as we act
towards the past； the two conditions being identical； so much so that it
often confuses them； as we can see more particularly in the celebrated
Marmontel case； where it evidently blunders and reports as accomplished
an incident that will not take place until several months later。 It is of
course impossible for us； at the stage which we have reached； to
understand this confusion or this coexistence of the past； the present and
the future； but that is no reason for denying it； on the contrary； what man
understands least is probably that which most nearly approaches the truth。
20
Lastly； to complicate the question； it may be very justly objected that；
though premonitions in general are useless and appear systematically to
withhold the only indispensable and decisive words； there are；
nevertheless； some that often seem to save those who obey them。 These； it
is true； are rarer than the first； but still they include a certain number that
are well authenticated。 It remains to be seen how far they imply a
knowledge of the future。
Here； for instance； is a traveler who； arriving at night in a small
unknown town and walking along the ill…lighted dock in the direction of
an hotel of which he roughly knows the position； at a given moment tech
an irresistible impulse to turn and go the other way。 He instantly obeys；
though his reason protests and 〃berates him for a fool〃 in taking a
roundabout way to his destination。 The next day he discovers that； if he
had gone a few feet farther； he would certainly have slipped into the river；
and； as he was but a feeble swimmer； he would just as certainly； being
alone and unaided in the extreme darkness； have been drowned。＇1＇
＇1＇ Proceedings； vol。 xi。； p。 422。
But is this a prevision of an event？ No； for no event is to take place。
There is simply an abnormal perception of the proximity of some
unknown water and consequently of an imminent danger； an unexplained
but fairly frequent subliminal sensitiveness。 In a word； the problem of the
future is not raised in this case； nor in any of the numerous cases that
resemble it。
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Here is another which evidently belongs to the same class； though at
first sight it seems to postulate the preexistence
