the unknown guest(陌生客)-第17章
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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 of a fatal event and a
vision of the future corresponding exactly with a vision of the past。 A
traveler in South America is descending a river in a canoe； the party are
just about to run close to a promontory when a sort of mysterious voice；
which he has already heard at different momentous times of his life；
imperiously orders him immediately to cross the river and gain the other
shore as quickly as possible。 This appears so absurd that he is obliged to
threaten the Indians with death to force them to take this course。 They
have scarcely crossed more than half the river when the promontory falls
at the very place where they meant to round it。＇1＇
＇1＇ Flournoy： Esprits et mediums； p。 316。
The perception of imminent danger is here； I admit； even more
abnormal than in the previous example； but it comes under the same
heading。 It is a phenomenon of subliminal hypersensitiveness observed
more than once； a sort of premonition induced by subconscious
perceptions； which has been christened by the barbarous name of
〃cryptaesthesia。〃 But the interval between the moment when the peril is
signalled and that at which it is consummated is too short for those
questions which relate to a knowledge or a preexistence of the future to
arise in this instance。
The case is almost the same with the adventure of an American dentist；
very carefully investigated by Dr。 Hodgson。 The dentist was bending over
a bench on which was a little copper in which he was vulcanizing some
rubber； when he heard a voice calling； in a quick and imperative manner；
these words：
〃Run to the window； quick！ Run to the window； quick！〃
He at once ran to the window and looked out to the street below； when
suddenly he heard a tremendous report and； looking round； saw that the
copper had exploded； destroying a great part of the workroom。＇1＇
＇1＇ Proceedings； vol。 xi。； p。 424。
Here again； a subconscious cautiousness was probably amused by
certain indications imperceptible to our ordinary senses。 It is even possible
that there exists between things and ourselves a sort of sympathy or
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subliminal communion which makes us experience the trials and emotions
of matter that has reached the limits of its existence； unless； as is more
likely； there is merely a simple coincidence between the chance idea of a
possible explosion and its realization。
A last and rather more complicated case is that of Jean Dupre； the
sculptor； who was driving alone with his wife along a mountain road；
skirting a perpendicular cliff。 Suddenly they both heard a voice that
seemed to come from the mountain crying：
〃Stop！〃
They turned round； saw nobody and continued their road。 But the cries
were repeated again and again； without anything to reveal the presence of
a human being amid the solitude。 At last the sculptor alighted and saw that
the left wheel of the carriage； which was grazing the edge of the precipice；
had lost its linch…pin and was on the point of leaving the axle…tree； which
would almost inevitably have hurled the carriage into the abyss。
Need we； even here； relinquish the theory of subconscious perceptions？
Do we know and can the author of the anecdote； whose good faith is not in
question； tell us that certain unperceived circumstances； such as the
grating of the wheel or the swaying of the carriage； did not give him the
first alarm？ After all； we know how easily stories of this kind involuntarily
take a dramatic turn even at the actual moment and especially afterwards。
21
These examplesand there are many more of a similar kindare
enough； I think； to illustrate this class of premonitions。 The problem in
these cases is simpler than when it relates to fruitless warnings； at least it
is simpler so long as we do not bring into discussion the question of spirits；
of unknown intelligences； or of an actual knowledge of the future；
otherwise the same difficulty reappears and the warning； which this time
seems efficacious； is in reality just as vain。 In fact； the mysterious entity
which knows that the traveler will go to the water's edge； that the wheel
will be on the point of leaving the axle； that the copper will explode； or
that the promontory will fall at a precise moment； must at the same time
know that the traveler will not take the last fatal step； that the carriage will
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not be overturned； that the copper will not hurt anybody and that the canoe
will pull away from the promontory。 It is inadmissible that； seeing one
thing； it will not see the other； since everything happens at the same point；
in the course of the same second。 Can we say that； if it had not given
warning； the little saving movement would not have been executed？ How
can we imagine a future which； at one and the same time； has parts that are
steadfast and others that are not？ If it is foreseen that the promontory will
fall and that the traveler will escape； thanks to the supernatural warning； it
is necessarily foreseen that the warning will be given； and； if so； what is
the point of this futile comedy？ I see no reasonable explanation of it in the
spiritist or spiritualistic theory； which postulates a complete knowledge of
the future； at least at a settled point and moment。 On the other hand； if we
adhere to the theory of a subliminal consciousness； we find there an
explanation which is quite worthy of acceptation。 This subliminal
consciousness； though； in the majority of cases； it has no clear and
comprehensive vision of the immediate future； can nevertheless possess an
intuition of imminent danger； thanks to indications that escape our
ordinary perception。 It can also have a partial； intermittent and so to speak
flickering vision of the future event and； if doubtful； can risk giving an
incoherent warning； which； for that
