the unknown guest(陌生客)-第28节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
… Page 92…
THE UNKNOWN GUEST
who seems to be waiting for his saddle or harness and who hide； his new
secret as profoundly as all the others which nature has buried in him。
9
But they are summoning me to take my place in the stable where the
lessons are given。 It is a small room； empty and bare； with peat…moss litter
bedding and white…washed walls。 The horse is separated from the people
present by breast…high wooden partitions。 Opposite the four…legged scholar
is a black…board； nailed to the wall； and on one side a corn…bin which
forms a seat for the spectators。 Muhamed is led in。 Krall； who is a little
nervous； makes no secret of his uneasiness。 His horses are fickle animals；
uncertain； capricious and extremely sensitive。 A trifle disturbs them；
confuses them； puts them off。 At such times； threats； prayers and even the
irresistible charm of carrots and good rye…bread are useless。 They
obstinately refuse to do any work and they answer at random。 Everything
depends on a whim； the state of the weather； the morning meal or the
impression which the visitor makes upon them。 Still； Krall seems to know；
by certain imperceptible signs； that this is not going to be a bad day。
Muhamed quivered with excitement； snorts loudly through his nostrils；
utters a series of indistinct little whinnyings： excellent symptoms； it
appears。 I take my seat on the corn…bin。 The master； standing beside the
black…board； chalk in hand； introduces me to Muhamed in due form； as to
a human being：
〃Muhamed； attention！ This is your uncle〃pointing to me〃who has
come all the way to honour you with a visit。 Mind you don't disappoint
him。 His name is Maeterlinck。〃 Krall pronounced the first syllable
German…fashion： Mah。 〃You understand： Maeterlinck。 Now show him that
you know your letters and that you can spell a name correctly； like a clever
boy。 Go ahead； we're listening。〃 Muhamed gives a short neigh and； on the
small； movable board at his feet； strikes first with his right hoof and then
with his left the number of blows which correspond with the letter M in
the conventional alphabet used by the horses。 Then； one after the other；
without stopping or hesitating； he marks the letters A D R L I N S H；
representing the unexpected aspect which my humble name assumes in the
92
… Page 93…
THE UNKNOWN GUEST
equine mind and phonetics。 His attention is called to the fact that there is a
mistake。 He readily agrees and replaces the S H by a G and then the G by
a K。 They insist that he must put a T instead of the D； but Muhamed；
content with his work； shakes his head to say no and refuses to make any
further corrections。
10
I assure you that the first shock is rather disturbing； however much one
expected it。 I am quite aware that； when one describes these things； one is
taken for a dupe too readily dazzled by the doubtless childish illusion of
an ingeniously contrived scene。 But what contrivances； what illusions
have we here？ Do they lie in the spoken word？ Why； to admit that the
horse understands and translates his master's words is just to accept the
most extraordinary part of the phenomenon！ Is it a case of surreptitious
touches or conventional signs？ However simple…minded one may be； one
would nevertheless notice them more easily than a horse； even a horse of
genius。 Krall never lays a hand on the animal； he moves all round the little
table； which contains no appliances of any sort； for the most part； he
stands behind the horse which is unable to see him； or comes and sits
beside his guest on the innocuous corn…bin； busying himself； while
lecturing his pupil； in writing up the minutes of the lesson。 He also
welcomes with the most serene readiness any restrictions or tests which
you propose。 I assure you that the thing itself is much simple； and clearer
than the suspicions of the arm…chair critics and that the most distrustful
mind world not entertain the faintest idea of fraud in the frank； wholesome
atmosphere of the old stable。
〃But；〃 some one might have said； 〃Krall； who knew that you were
coming to Elberfeld； had of course thoroughly rehearsed his little exercise
in spelling； which apparently is only an exercise in memory。〃
For conscience' sake； though I did not look upon the objection as
serious； I submitted it to Krall； who at once said： 〃Try it for yourself。
Dictate to the horse any German word of two or three syllables；
emphasizing it strongly。 I'll go out of the stable and leave you alone with
him。〃
93
… Page 94…
THE UNKNOWN GUEST
Behold Muhamed and me by ourselves。 I confess that I am a little
frightened。 I have many a time felt less uncomfortable in the presence of
the great ones or the kings of the earth。 Whom am I dealing with exactly？
However； I summon my courage and speak aloud the first word that
occurs to me； the name of the hotel at which I am staying： Weidenhof。 At
first； Muhamed； who seems a little puzzled by his master's absence；
appears not to hear me and does not even deign to notice that I am there。
But I repeat eagerly； in varying tones of voice； by turns insinuating；
threatening； beseeching and commanding：
〃Weidenhof！ Weidenhof！ Weidenhof！〃
At last； my mysterious companion suddenly makes up his mind to lend
me his ears and straightway blithely raps out the following letters； which I
write down on the black…board as they come：
WEIDNHOZ。
It is a magnificent specimen of equine spelling！ Triumphant and
bewildered； I call in friend Krall； who； accustomed as he is to the prodigy；
thinks it quite natural； but knits his brows：
〃What's this； Muhamed？ You've made a mistake again。 It's an F you
want at the end of the word； not a Z。 Just correct it at once； please。〃
And the docile Muhamed； recognizing his blunder； gives the three
blows with his right hoof； followed by the four blows with his left； which
represent the most unexceptionable F that one could ask for。
Observe； by the way； the logic of his phonetic writing： contrary to his
habit； he strikes the mute E after the W； because it is indispensable； but；
finding it included in the D； he considers it superfluous and suppresses it
with a high hand。
You rub your eyes； question yourself； ask yourself in the presence of
what humanized phenomenon； of what unknown force； of what new
creature you stand。 Was all this what they hid in their eyes； those silent
brothers of ours？ You blush at arm's long injustice。 You look around you
for some sort of trace； obvious or subtle； of the mystery。 You feel yourself
attacked in your innermost citadel； where you held yourself most certain
and most impregnable。 You have felt a breath from the abyss upon your
face。 You would not be more astonished if you suddenly heard the voice of
94
… Page 95…
THE UNKNOWN GUEST
the dead。 But the most astonishing thing is that you are not astonished for
long。 We all； unknown to ourselves； live in the expectation of the
extraordinary； and； when it comes； it moves us much less than did the
expectation。 It is as though a sort of higher instinct； which knows
everything and is not ignorant of the miracles that hang over our heads；
were reassuring us in advance and helping us to make an easy entrance
into the regions of the supernatural。 There is nothing to which we grow
accustomed more readily than to the marvellous； and it is only afterwards；
upon reflection； that our intelligence； which knows hardly anything；
appreciates the magnitude of certain phenomena。
