the unknown guest(陌生客)-第32章
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a…dozen in a century； whereas； among horses； the faculty would appear to
be almost general； or at least quite common。 In fact； out of six or seven
stallions whom Krall tried to initiate into the secrets of mathematics； he
found only two that appeared to him too poorly gifted for him to waste
time on their education。 These were； I believe； two thoroughbreds that
were presented to him by the Grand…duke of Mecklenburg and sent back
by Krall to their sumptuous stables。 In the four or five others； taken at
random as circumstances supplied them； he met with aptitudes unequal； it
is true； but easily developed and giving the impression that they exist
normally； latent and inactive； at the bottom of every equine soul。 From the
mathematical point of view； is the horse's subliminal consciousness then
superior to man's？ Why not？ His whole subliminal being is probably
superior to one； of greater range； younger； fresher； more alive and less
heavy； since it is not incessantly attacked； coerced and humiliated by the
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intelligence which gnaws at it； stifles it； cloaks it and relegates it to a dark
corner which neither light nor air can penetrate。 His subliminal
consciousness is always present； always alert； ours is never there； is asleep
at the bottom of a deserted well and needs exceptional operations； results
and events before it can be drawn from its slumber and its unremembered
deeps。 All this seems very extraordinary； but； in any case； we are here in
the midst of the extraordinary； and this outlet is perhaps the least
hazardous。 It is not a question； we must remember； of a cerebral operation；
an intellectual performance； but of a gift of divination closely allied to
other gifts of the same nature and the same origin which are not the
peculiar attribute of man。 No observation； no experiment enables us； up to
the present； to establish a difference between the subliminal of human
beings and that of animals。 On the contrary； the as yet restricted number of
actual cases reveals constant and striking analogies between the two。 In
most of those arithmetical operations； be it noted； the subliminal of the
horse behaves exactly like that of the medium in a rate of trance。 The
horse readily reverses the figures of the solution； he replies； 〃37；〃 for
instance； instead of 〃73；〃 which is a mediumistic phenomenon so well…
known and so frequent that it has been styled 〃mirror…writing。〃 He makes
mistakes fairly often in the most elementary additions； and subtractions
and much less frequently in the extraction of the most complicated roots；
which again； in similar cases； such as 〃xenoglossy〃 and psychometry； is
one of the eccentricities of human mediumism and is explained by the
same cause； namely； the inopportune intervention of the ever fallible
intelligence； which； by meddling in the matter； alters the certainties of a
subliminal which； when left to itself； never makes a mistake。 It is； in fact；
quite probable that the horse； being really able to do the small sums； no
longer relies solely on his intuition and； from that moment； gropes and
flounders about。 The solution hovers between the intelligence and the
subliminal and； passing from the one； which is not quite sure of it； to the
other； which is not urgently appealed to； comes out of the conflict as best it
may。 The case is the same with the psychometric or spiritualistic medium
who seeks to profit by what he knows in the ordinary way； so as to
complete the visions or revelations of his subconscious sensibility。 He； too；
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in this instance； is nearly always guilty of flagrant and inexplicable
blunders。
Many other similarities will be found to exist； notably the way in
which the lessons vary。 Nothing is more uncertain and capricious than
manifestations of human mediumism。 Whether it be a question of
automatic writing； psychometry； materializations or anything else； we
meet with series of sittings that yield none but absurd results。 Then；
suddenly； for reasons as yet obscurethe state of the weather； the presence
of this or that witness； or I know not whatthe most undeniable and
bewildering manifestations occur one after the other。 The case is precisely
the same with the horses： their queer fancies； their unaccountable and
disconcerting freaks drive poor Krall to despair。 He never opens the door
of that uncertain stable； on important days； without a sinking at the heart。
Let the beard or the frown of some learned professor fail to please the
horses： they will； forthwith； take an unholy delight in giving the most
irrelevant answer to the most elementary question； for hours and even days
on end。
Other common features are the strongly…marked personality of the
mediumistic 〃raps〃 and the communications known as 〃deferred telepathic
communications；〃 that is to say； those in which the answer is obtained at
the end of a sitting to a question put at the beginning and forgotten by all
those present。 What at first sight seems one of the strongest objections
urged against the mediumism of the horse even tends to confirm it。 If the
reply comes from the horse's subconsciousness； it has been asked； how is
it that it should be necessary first to teach him the elements of language；
mathematics and so forth； and that Berto； for instance； is incapable of
solving the same problems as Mohammed？ This objection has been very
ably refuted by M。 de Vesme； who writes：
〃To produce automatic writing； a medium must have learnt to write；
before Victorien Sardou or Mlle Helene Schmidt could produce their
mediumistic drawings and paintings； they had to possess an elementary
knowledge of drawing and painting； Tartini would never have composed
The Devil's Sonata in a dream； if he had not known music； and so forth。
Unconscious cerebration； however wonderful； can only take effect upon
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elements already acquired in some way or another。 The subconscious
cerebration of a man blind from birth will not make him see colours。〃
Here； then； in this comparison which might easily be extended； are
several fairly well… defined features of resemblance。 We receive a vivid
impression of the same habits； the same contradictions； and the same
eccentricities； and we once more recognize the strange and majestic
shadow of our unknown guest。
33
One great objection remains； based upon the very nature of the
phenomenon； upon the really inseparable distance that separates the whole
life of the horse from the abstract and impenetrable life of numbers。 How
can his subliminal consciousness interest itself for a moment in signs that
represent nothing to him； have no relation to his organism and will never
touch his existence？ But in the first place； it is just the same with the child
or the illiterate calculator。 He is not interested either in the figures which
he lets loose。 He is completely ignorant of the consequences of the
problems which he solves。 He juggles with digits which have hardly any
more meaning to him than to the horse。 He is incapable of accounting for
what he does； and his subconsciousness also acts in a sort of indifferent
and remote dream。 It is true that； in his case； we can appeal to heredity and
to memory； but is this difference enough to settle the difficulty and
definitely to separate the two phenomena？ To appeal to heredity is still to
appeal to the subliminal； and it is not at all certain that the latter is limited
by the interest of the organism sheltering it。 It appears； on the contrary； in
many circumstances； to spread and extend far beyond that organism in
which it is domiciled； one would say； accidentally and provisionally。 It
likes to show； apparently； that it is in relation with all that exists。 It
declares itself； as often as possible； universal and impersonal。 It has but a
very indifferent care； as we have seen in the matter of apparitions and
premonitions； for the happiness and even the safety of its host and
protector。 It prophesies to its companion of a lifetime events which he
cannot avoid or which do not concern him。 It makes him see beforehand；
for instance； all the circumstances of the death of a stranger whom he will
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only hear of after the event； when this event is irrevocable。 It brings a
crowd of barren presentiments and conjures up veridical hallucinations
that are wholly alien and idle。 With psychometric； typtological or
materializing mediums； it practises art for art's sake； mocks at space and
time； passes through personalities； sees through solid bodies； brings into
communication thoughts and motions worlds apart； reads souls and lives
by the light of a flower； a rag of a scrap of paper； and all this for nothing；
to amuse itself； to astonish us； because it adores the superfluous； the
incoherent； the unexpected； the improbable； the bewildering； or rather；
perhaps； because it is a huge； rough； undisciplined force still struggling in
the darkness and coming to the surface only by wild fits an
