the unknown guest(陌生客)-第27章
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will give us back our familiar； shallow certainties。 But the explanation
does not come； there is none in the homely and not very lofty regions
wherein we hoped to find one； there is neither fault nor flaw in the mighty
evidence； and nothing delivers us from the mystery。
It must be confessed that this mystery； springing from a point where
we least expected to come upon the unknown； bears enough within itself
to scatter all our convictions。 Remember that； since man appeared upon
this earth； he has lived among creatures which； from immemorial
experience； he thought that he knew as perfectly as he knows an object
fashioned by his hands。 Out of these creatures he chose the most docile
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and； as he called them； the most intelligent； attaching in this case to the
word intelligence a sense so narrow as to be almost ridiculous。 He
observed them； scrutinized them； tried them； analyzed them and dissected
them in every imaginable way； and whole lives were devoted to nothing
but the study of their habits； their faculties； their nervous system； their
pathology； their psychology； their instincts。 All this led to certainties which；
among those supported by our unexplained little existence on an
inexplicable planet； would seem to be the least doubtful； the least subject
to revision。 There is no disputing； for instance； that the horse is gifted with
an extraordinary memory； that he possesses the sense of direction； that he
understands a few signs and even a few words and that he obeys them。 It is
equally undeniable that the anthropoid apes are capable of imitating a
great number of our actions and of our attitudes： but it is also manifest that
their bewildered and feverish imagination perceives neither their object
nor their scope。 As for the dog； the one of all these privileged animals who
lives closest to us； who for thousands and thousands of years has eaten at
our table and worked with us and been our friend； it is manifest that； now
and then； we catch a rather uncanny gleam in his deep； watchful eyes。 It is
certain that he sometimes wanders in a curious fashion along the
mysterious border that separates our own intelligence from that which we
grant to the other creatures inhabiting this earth with us。 But it is no less
certain that he has never definitely passed it。 We know exactly how far he
can go； and we have invariably found that our efforts； our patience； our
encouragement； our passionate appeals； have hitherto failed to draw him
out of the somewhat narrow； darkly enchanted circle wherein nature seems
to have imprisoned him once and for all。
20
There remains； it is true； the insect…world； in which marvellous things
happen。 It includes architects； geometricians； mechanicians； engineers；
weavers； physicists； chemists and surgeons who have forestalled most of
our human inventions。 I need not here remind the reader of the wasps' and
bees' genius for building； the social and economic organization of the hive
and the ant…hill； the spider's snares； the eumenes' nest and hanging egg； the
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odynerus' cell with its neat stacks of game； the sacred beetle's filthy but
ingenius ball； the leafcutter's faultless disks； the brick…laying of the mason…
bee； the three dagger…thrusts which the aphex administers to the three
nerve…centres of the cricket； the lancet of the cerceris； who paralyses her
victims without killing them and preserves them for an indefinite period as
fresh meat； nor a thousand other features which it would be impossible to
enumerate without recapitulating the whole of Henri Fabre's work and
completely altering the proportions of the present essay。 But here such
silence and such darkness reign that we have nothing to hope for。 There
exists； so to speak； no bench…mark； no means of communication between
the world of insects and our own； and we are perhaps less far from
grasping and fathoming what takes place in Saturn or Jupiter than what is
enacted in the ant…hill or the hive。 We know absolutely nothing of the
quality； the number； the extent or even the nature of their senses。 Many of
the great laws on which our life is based do not exist for them： those； for
instance； which govern fluids are completely reversed。 They seem to
inhabit our planet； but in reality move in an entirely different world。
Understanding nothing of their intelligence pierced with disconcerting
gaps； in which the blindest stupidity suddenly comes and destroys the
ablest and most inspired schemes； we have given the name of instinct to
that which we could not apprehend； postponing our interpretation of a
word that touches upon life's most insoluble riddles。 There is； therefore；
from the point of view of the intellectual faculties； nothing to be gathered
from those extraordinary creatures who are not； like the other animals； our
〃lesser brothers；〃 but strangers； aliens from we know not where； survivors
or percursors of another world。
21
We were at this stage； slumbering peacefully in our long…established
convictions； when a man entered upon the scene and suddenly showed us
that we were wrong and that； for long centuries； we had over looked a
truth which was scarcely even covered with a very thin veil。 And the
strangest thing is that this astonishing discovery； is in no wise the natural
consequence of a new invention； of processes or methods hitherto
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unknown。 It owes nothing to the latest acquirements of our knowledge。 It
springs from the humblest idea which the most primitive man might have
conceived in the first days of the earth's existence。 It is simply a matter of
having a little more patience； confidence and respect for all that which
shares our lot in a world whereof we know none of the purposes。 It is
simply a matter of having a little less pride and of looking a little more
fraternally upon existences that are much more fraternal than we believed。
There is no secret about the almost puerile ingenuousness of Von Osten's
methods and Krall's。 They start with the principle that the horse is an
ignorant but intelligent child； and they treat him as such。 They speak；
explain； demonstrate； argue and mete out rewards or punishments like a
schoolmaster addressing little boys of five or six。 They begin by placing a
few skittle…pins in front of their strange pupil。 They count them and make
him count them by alternately lifting and lowering the horse's hoof。 He
thus obtains his first notion of numbers。 They next add one or two more
skittles and say； for instance：
〃Three skittles and two skittles are five skittles。〃
In this way； they explain and teach addition； next； by the reverse
process； subtraction； which is followed by multiplication； division and all
the rest。
At the beginning； the lessons are extremely laborious and demand an
untiring and loving patience； which is the whole secret of the miracle。 But；
as soon as the first barrier of darkness is passed； the progress becomes
bewilderingly rapid。
All this is incontestable； and the facts are there； before which we must
need bow。 But what upsets all our convictions or； more correctly； all the
prejudices which thousands of years have made as invincible as axioms；
what we do not succeed in understanding is that the horse at once
understands what we want of him； it is that first step； the first tremor of an
unexpected intelligence； which suddenly reveals itself as human。 At what
precise second did the light appear and was the veil rent under？ It is
impossible to say； but it is certain that； at a given moment； without any
visible sign to reveal the prodigious inner transformation； the horse acts
and replies as though he suddenly understood the speech of man。 What is
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it that sets the miracle working？ We know that； after a time； the horse
associates certain words with certain objects that interest him or with three
or four events whose infinite repetition forms the humble tissue of his
daily life。 This is only a sort of mechanical memory which has nothing in
common with the most elementary intelligence。 But behold； one fine day；
without any perceptible transition； he seems to know the meaning of a host
of words which possess no interest for him； which represent to him no
picture； no memory； which he has never had occasion to connect with any
sensation； agreeable or disagreeable。 He handles figures； which even to
man are nothing but obscure and abstract ideas。 He solves problems that
cannot possibly be made objective or concrete。 He reproduces letters
which； from his point of view； correspond with nothing actual。 He fixes
his attention and makes observations on things or circumstances which in
no way affect him； which remain and always will remain alien and
indifferent to him。 In a word； he steps out of the narrow ring in which he
was made to turn by hunger and fearwhich have been described as the
two great moving powers of all that is not humanto enter the immense
circle in which sensations go on being shed till ideas come into view。
22
Is it possible to believe that the horses really do what they appear to do？
Is there no precedent for the marvel？ Is there no transition bet
