the unknown guest(陌生客)-第6节
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I shall perhaps be asked：
〃If it is becoming increasingly difficult for all these factsand there
are more of them accumulating every dayto be embraced in the
telepathic or psychometric theory； why not frankly accept the spiritualistic
explanation； which is the simplest； which has an answer for everything
and which is gradually encroaching on all the others？〃
That is true： it is the simplest theory； perhaps too simple； and； like the
religious theory； it dispenses as from all effort or seeking。 We have nothing
to set against it but the mediumistic theory； which doubtless does not
account exactly for a good many things； but which at least is on the same
side of the hill of life as ourselves and remains among us； upon our earth；
within reach of our eyes； our hands； our thoughts and our researches。
There was a time when lightning； epidemics and earthquakes were
attributed without distinction to the wrath of Heaven。 Nowadays； when we
are more or less familiar with the source of the great infectious diseases；
the hand of Providence knows them no more； and； though we are still
ignorant of the nature of electricity and the laws that regulate seismic
shocks； we no longer dream； while waiting to learn more about them； of
looking for their causes in the judgment or anger of an imaginary Being。
Let us act likewise in the present case。 It behooves us above all to avoid
those rash explanations which； in their haste； leave by the roadside a host
of things that appear to be unknown or unknowable only because the
necessary effort has not yet been made to know them。 After all； while we
must not eliminate the spiritualistic theory； neither must we content
ourselves with it。 It is even preferable not to linger over it until it has
supplied us with decisive arguments； for it is the duty of this theory which
sweeps us roughly out of our sphere to furnish us with such arguments。
For the present； it simply relegates to posthumous regions； phenomena that
appear to occur within ourselves； it adds superfluous mystery and needless
difficulty to the mediumistic mystery whence it springs。 If we were
concerned with facts that had no footing in this world； we should certainly
have to turn our eyes in another direction； but we see a large number of
actions performed which are of the same nature as those attributed to the
spirits and equally inexplicable； actions with which； however； we know
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THE UNKNOWN GUEST
that they have nothing to do。 When it is proved that the dead exercise
some intervention； we will bow before the fact as willingly as we bow
before the mediumistic mysteries： it is a question of order； of internal
policy and of scientific method much more than of probability； preference
or fear。 The hour has not yet come to abandon the principle which I have
formulated elsewhere with respect to our communications with the dead；
namely； that it is natural that we should remain at home； in our own world；
as long as we can； as long as we are not violently driven from it by a series
of irresistible and incontrovertible proofs coming from the neighbouring
abyss。 The survival of a spirit is no more improbable than the prodigious
faculties which we are obliged to attribute to the mediums if we deny them
to the dead。 But the existence of mediums is beyond dispute； whereas that
of spirits is not； and it is therefore for the spirits or for those who make use
of their name to begin by proving that they must。 Before turning towards
the mystery beyond the grave； let us first exhaust the possibilities of the
mystery here on earth。
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THE UNKNOWN GUEST
CHAPTER II。
PSYCHOMETRY
1
Now that we have eliminated the gods and the dead； what have we left？
Ourselves and all the life around us； and that is perhaps enough。 It is； at
any rate； much more than we are able to grasp。
Let us now study certain manifestations that are absolutely similar to
those which we attribute to the spirits and quite as surprising。 As for these
manifestations； there is not the least doubt of their origin。 They do not
come from the other world； they are born and die upon this earth； and they
arise solely and incontestably from our own actual living mystery。 They
are； moreover； of all psychic manifestations； those which are easiest to
examine and verify； seeing that they can be repeated almost indefinitely
and that a number of excellent and well…known mediums are always ready
to reproduce them in the presence of any one interested in the question。 It
is no longer a case of uncertain and casual observation； but of scientific
experiment。
The manifestations in question are so many phenomena of intuition； of
clairvoyance or clairaudience； of seeing at a distance and even of seeing
the future。 These phenomena may either be due to pure； spontaneous
intuition on the part of the medium； in an hypnotic or waking state； or else
produced or facilitated by one of the various empirical methods which
apparently see only to arouse the medium's subconscious faculties and to
release in some way his subliminal clairvoyance。 Among such methods；
those most often employed are； as we all know； cards； coffee…grounds； pins；
the lines of the hand； crystal globes； astrology； and so on。 They possess no
importance in themselves； no intrinsic virtue； and are worth exactly what
the medium who uses them is worth。 As M。 Duchatel well says：
〃In reality； there is only one solitary MANCY。 The faculty of seeing in
TIME； like the faculty of seeing in SPACE； is ONE； whatever its outward
form or the process employed。〃
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We will not linger now over those manifestations which； under
appearances that are sometimes childish and vulgar； often conceal
surprising and incontestable truths； but will devote the present chapter
exclusively to a series of phenomena which includes almost all the others
and which has been classed under the generic and rather ill…chosen and ill…
constructed title of 〃psychometry。〃 Psychometry； to borrow Dr。 Maxwell's
excellent definition； is 〃the faculty possessed by certain persons of placing
themselves in relation； either spontaneously or； for the most part； through
the intermediary of some object； with unknown and often very distant
things and people。〃
The existence of this faculty is no longer seriously denied； and it is
easy for any one who cares to do so to verify it for himself； for the
mediums who possess it are not extremely rare； nor are they inaccessible。
It has formed the subject of a number of experiments （see； among others；
M。 Warcollier's report in the Annales des Sciences Psychiques of July；
1911） and of a few treatises； in the front rank of which I would mention M。
Duchatel's Enquete sur des Cas de Psychometrie and Dr。 Otty's recently
published book； Lucidite et Intuition； which is the fullest； most profound
and most conscientious work that we possess on the matter up to the
present。 Nevertheless it may be said that these regions quite lately annexed
by metaphysical science are as yet hardly explored and that fruitful
surprises are doubtless awaiting earnest seekers。
2
The faculty in question is one of the strangest faculties of our
subconsciousness and beyond a doubt contains the key to most of the
manifestations that seem to proceed from another world。 Let us begin by
seeing； with the aid of a living and typical example； how it is exercised。
Mme。 M； one of the best mediums mentioned by Dr。 Osty； is given
an object which belonged to or which has been touched and handled by a
person about whom it is proposed to ques
