the unknown guest(陌生客)-第12章
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Cooper； 〃in 1882； I called upon the Duke of Hamilton； in Hill Street； to
see him professionally。 After I had finished seeing him； we went into the
drawing…room where the duchess was； and the duke said to me：
〃'Oh； Cooper； how is the earl？'
〃The duchess said； 'What earl？' and； on my answering； 'Lord L；' she
replied：
〃'That is very odd。 I have had a most extraordinary vision。 I went to
bed； but； after being in bed a short time； I was not exactly asleep； but
thought I saw a scene as if from a play before me。 The actors in it were
Lord L； in a chair； as if in a fit； with a man standing near him with a red
beard。 He was by the side of a bath； over which bath a red lamp was
distinctly shown。'
〃I then said：
〃'I am attending Lord L at present； there is very little the matter with
him； he is not going to die； he will be all right very soon。'
〃Well； he got better for a week and was nearly well； but； at the end of
six or seven days after this； I was called to see him suddenly。 He had
inflammation of both lungs。
〃I called in Sir William Jenner； but in six days he was a dead man。
There were two male nurses attending on him； one had been taken ill。 But；
when I saw the other； the dream of the duchess was exactly represented。
He was standing near a bath over the earl and； strange to say； his beard
was red。 There was the bath with the red lamp over it； and this brought the
story to my mind。
〃The vision seen by the duchess was told two weeks before the death
of Lord L。 It is a most remarkable thing。〃
7
But it is impossible to find space for the many instances related。 As I
have said； there are hundreds of them； making their tracks in every
direction across the plains of the future。 Those which I have quoted give a
sufficient idea of the predominating tone and the general aspect of this sort
of story。 It is nevertheless right to add that many of them are not at all
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tragic and that premonition opens its mysterious and capricious vistas of
the future in connection with the most diverse and insignificant events。 It
cares but little for the human value of the occurrence and puts the vision of
a number in a lottery in the same plane as the most dramatic death。 The
roads by which it reaches us are also unexpected and varied。 Often； as in
the examples quoted； it comes to us in a dream。 Sometimes； it is an
auditory or visual hallucination which seizes upon us while awake；
sometimes； an indefinable but clear and irresistible presentiment； a
shapeless but powerful obsession； an absurd but imperative certainty
which rises from the depths of our inner darkness； where perhaps lies
hidden the final answer to every riddle。
One might illustrate each of these manifestations with numerous
examples。 I will mention only a few； selected not among the most striking
or the most attractive； but among those which have been most strictly
tested and investigated。＇1＇ A young peasant from the neighbourhood of
Ghent； two months before the drawing for the conscription； announces to
all and sundry that he will draw number 90 from the urn。 On entering the
presence of the district…commissioner in charge； he asks if number 90 is
still in。 The answer is yes。
＇1＇ Proceedings； vol。 xi。； p。 545。
〃Well then； I shall have it！〃
And； to the general amazement； he does draw number 90。
Questioned as to the manner in which he acquired this strange
certainty； he declared that； two months ago； just after he had gone to bed；
he saw a huge； indescribable form appear in a corner of his room； with the
number 90 standing out plainly in the middle； in figures the size of a man's
hand。 He sat up in bed and shut and opened his eyes to persuade himself
that he was not dreaming。 The apparition remained in the same place；
distinctly and undeniably。
Professor Georges Hulin； of the university of Ghent； and M。 Jules van
Dooren； the district commissioner； who report the incident； mention three
other similar and equally striking cases witnessed by M。 van Dooren
during his term of office。 I am the less inclined to doubt their declaration
inasmuch as I am personally acquainted with them and know that their
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statements； as regards the objective reality of the facts； are so to speak
equivalent to a legal deposition。 M。 Bozzano mentions some previsions
which are quite as remarkable in connection with the gaming…tables at
Monte Carlo。
I repeat； I am aware that； in the case of these occurrences and those
which resemble them； it is possible once again to invoke the theory of
coincidence。 It will be contended that there are probably a thousand
predictions of this kind which are never talked about； because they were
not fulfilled； whereas； if one of them is accomplished； which is bound by
the law of probabilities to happen some day or other； the astonishment is
general and free rein is given to the imagination。 This is true； nevertheless；
it is well to enquire whether these predictions are as frequent as is loosely
stated。 In the matter of those which concern the conscription…drawings； for
instance； I have had the opportunity of interrogating more than we
constant witness of these little dramas of fate； and all admitted that； on the
whole； they are much clearer than one would believe。 Next； we must not
forget that there can be no question here of scientific proofs。 We are in the
midst of a slippery and nebulous region； where we would not dare to risk a
step if we were not allowing ourselves to be guided by our feelings rather
than by certainties which we are not forbidden to hope for； but which are
not yet in sight。
8
We will abridge our subject still further； referring readers who wish to
know the details to the originals； lest we should never have done； or rather；
instead of attempting an abridgment； which would still be too long； so
plentiful are the materials； we will content ourselves with enumerating a
few instances； all taken from Bozzano's Des Phenomenes premonitoires。
We read there of a funeral procession seen on a high…road several days
before it actually passed that way； or； again； of a young mechanic who； in
the beginning of November； dreamt that he came home at half…past five in
the afternoon and saw his sister's little girl run over by a tram…car while
crossing the street in front of the house。 He told his dream； in great distress；
and； on the 13th of the same month； in spite of all the precautions that had
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been taken； the child was run over by the tram…car and killed at the hour
named。 We find the ghost； the phantom animal or the mysterious noise
which； in certain families； is the traditional herald of a death or of an
imminent catastrophe。 We find the celebrated vision which the painter
Segantini had thirteen days before his decease； every detail of which
remained in his mind and was represented in his last picture； Death。 We
find the Messina disaster dearly foreseen； twice over； by a little girl who
perished under the ruins of the ill…fated city； and we read of a dream which；
three months before the French invasion of Russia； foretold to Countess
Toutschkoff that her husband would fall at Borodino； a village so little
known at the time that those interested in the dream looked in vain for its
name on the maps。 Until now we have spoken only of the spontaneous
manifestations of the future。 It would seem as though coming events；
gathered in front of our lives； bear with crushing weight upon the
uncertain and deceptive dike of the present； which is no longer able to
contain them。 They ooze through； they seek a crevice by which to reach us。
But； side by side with these passive； independent and intractable
premonitions； which are but so many vagrant and furtive emanations of
the unknown； are others which do yield to entreaty； allow themselves to be
directed into channels； are more or less obedient to our orders and will
sometimes reply to the questions which we put to them。 They come from
the same inaccessible reservoir； are no less mysterious； but yet appear a
little more human than the others； and； without drugging ourselves with
puerile or dangerous illusions； we may be permitted to hope that； if we
follow them and study them attentively； they will one day open to us the
hidden paths that join that which is no more to that which is not yet。
It is true that here； where we must needs mix with the somewhat
lawless world of professional mystery…mongers； we have to increase our
caution and walk with measured steps on very suspicious ground。 But in
this region of pitfalls we glean a certain number of facts that cannot
reasonably be contested。 It will be enough to recall； for instance； the
symbolic premonitions of the famous 〃seeress of Prevorst；〃 Frau Hauffe；
whose prophetic spirit was awakened by soap bubbles； crystals and
mirrors；＇1＇ the clairvoyant who； eighteen years before the event； foretold
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the death of a girl by the hand of her rival in 1907； in a written prophecy
which was presented to the court by the mother of the murdered girl；＇1＇ A。
J。 C。 Kerner： Die Scherin von Prevorst 141 ＇1＇
