the unknown guest(陌生客)-第34章
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ourselves to be discovering。 Remember that there is almost always some
distorted； misapprehended or dimlyseen truth at the bottom of the most
eccentric and wildest creeds； superstitions and legends。 All this new
science of metaphysics or of the investigation of our subconsciousness and
of unknown powers； which has scarcely begun to unveil its first mysteries；
thus finds landmarks and defaced but recognizable traces in the old
religions； the most inexplicible traditions and the most ancient history。
Besides； the probability of a thing does not depend upon undeniably
established precedents。 While it is almost certain that there is nothing new
under the sun or in the eternity preceding the suns； it is quite possible that
the same forces do not always act with the same energy。 As I observed；
nearly twenty years ago； in The Treasure of the Humble； at a time when I
hardly knew at all what I know so imperfectly to…day：
〃A spiritual〃I should have said； a psychic…〃epoch is perhaps upon us；
an epoch to which a certain number of analogies are found in history。 For
there are periods recorded when the soul； in obedience to unknown laws；
seemed to rise to the very surface of humanity； whence it gave clearest
evidence of its existence and of its power。 。 。 。 It would seem； at moments
such as these； as though humanity；〃 and； I would add to…day； all that lives
with it on this earth〃were on the point of struggling from beneath the
crushing burden of matter that weighs it down。〃
One might in fact believe that a shudder which we have not yet
experienced is passing over everything that breathes； that a new activity； a
new restlessness is permeating the spiritual atmosphere which surrounds
our globe； and that the very animals have felt its thrill。 One might say that；
by the side of the niggardly private spring which would only supply our
intelligence； other streams are spreading and rising to the same level in
every form of existence。 A sort of word of command is being passed from
rank to rank； and the same phenomena are bursting forth in every quarter
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of the globe in order to attract our attention； as though the obstinately
dumb genius that lay hidden in the pregnant silence of the universe； from
that of the stones； the flowers and the insects to the mighty silence of the
stars； were at last trying to tell us some secret whereby it would be better
known to us or to itself。 It is possible that this is but an illusion。 Perhaps
we are simply more attentive and better informed than of old。 We learn at
the very instant what happens in every part of our earth and we have
acquired the habit of more minutely observing and examining the things
that happen。 But the illusion would in this case have all the force； all the
value and all the meaning of the reality and would enjoin the same hopes
and the same obligation。
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CHAPTER V。
THE UNKNOWN GUEST
1
We have now studied certain manifestations of that which we have
called in turn and more or less indiscriminately the subconscious mind； the
subliminal consciousness and the unknown guest； names to which we
might add that of the superior subconsciousness or superior psychism
invented by Dr。 Geley。 Granting that these manifestations are really proved；
it is no longer possible to explain them or rather to classify them without
having recourse to fresh theories。 Now we can entertain doubts on many
points； we can cavil and argue； but I defy anyone approaching these facts
in a serious and honest spirit to reject them all。 It is permissible to neglect
the most extraordinary； but there are a multitude of others which have
become or； to speak more accurately； are acknowledged to be as frequent
and habitual as any fact whatever in normal； everyday life。 It is not
difficult to reproduce them at will； provided we place ourselves in the
condition demanded by their very nature； and； this being so； there remains
no valid reason for excluding them from the domain of science in the strict
sense of the word。
Hitherto； all that we have learnt regarding these occurrences is that
their origin is unknown。 It will be said that this is not much and that the
discovery is nothing to boast of。 I quite agree： to imagine that one can
explain a phenomena by saying that it is produced by an unknown agency
would indeed be childish。 But it is already something to have marked its
source； not to be still lingering in the thick of a fog； trying any and every
direction in order to find a way out； but to be concentrating our attention
on a single spot which is the starting…point of all these wonders； so that at
each instant we recognize in each phenomenon the characteristic customs；
methods or features of the same unknown agency。 It is very nearly all that
we can do for the moment； but this first effort is not wholly to be despised。
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2
It has seemed to us then that it was our unknown guest that expressed
itself in the name of the dead in table…turning and in automatic writing and
speaking。 This unknown guest has appeared to us to take within us the
place of those who are no more； to unite itself perhaps with forces that do
not die； to visit the grave with the object of bringing thence inexplicable
phantoms which rise up in front of us fruitlessly or haunt our houses
without telling us why。 We have seen it； in experiments in clairvoyance
and intuition； suppressing all the obstacles that banish or conceal thought
and； through bodies that have become transparent； reading in our very
souls forgotten secrets of the past； sentiments that have not yet taken shape；
intentions as yet unborn。 We have discovered that some object once
handled by a person now far away is enough to make it take part in the
innermost life of that person； to go deeper and rise higher than he does； to
see what he sees and even what he does not see： the landscape that
surrounds him； the house which he inhabits and also the dangers that
threaten him and the secret passions by which he is stirred。 We have
surprised it wandering hither and thither； at haphazard； in the future；
confounding it with the present and the past； not conscious of where it is
but seeing far and wide； knowing perhaps everything but unaware of the
importance of what it knows； or as yet incapable of turning it to account or
of making itself understood； at once neglectful and overscrupulous； prolix
and reticent； useless and indispensable。 We have seen it； lastly； although
we had hitherto looked upon it as indissolubly and unchangeably human；
suddenly emerge from other creatures and there reveal faculties akin to
ours； which commune with them deep down in the deepest mysteries and
which equal them and sometimes surpass them in a region that wrongly
appeared to us the only really unassailable province of mankind； I mean
the obscure and abstruse province of numbers。
It has many other no less strange and perhaps more important
manifestations； which we propose to examine in a later volume； notably its
surprising therapeutic virtues and its phenomena of materialization。 But；
without expressing a premature judgment on what we do not yet know；
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perhaps we have sketched it with sufficient clearness in the foregoing
pages to enable us henceforward to disentangle certain general and
characteristic features from a confusion of often contradictory lines。
3
But； in the first place； does it really exist； this tragic and comical；
evasive and unavoidable figure which we make no claim to portray； but at
most to divest of some of its shadows？ It were rash to affirm it too loudly；
but meanwhile； in the realms where we suppose it to reign； everything
happens as though it did exist。 Do away with it and you are obliged to
people the world and burden your life with a host of hypothetical and
imaginary beings： gods； demigods； angels； demons； saints； spirits； shells；
elementals； etherial entities； interplanetary intelligences and so on； except
it and all those phantoms； without disappearing； for they may very well
continue to live in its shadow； become superfluous or accessory。 It is not
intolerant and does not definitely eliminate any of the hypotheses by the
aid of which man has hitherto striven to explain what he did not
understand； hypotheses which； in regard to some matters； are not
inadmissible； although not one of them is confirmed； but it brings him
back to itself； absorbs them and rules them without annihilating them。 If；
for instance； to select the most defensible theory； one which it is
sometimes difficult to dismiss absolutely； if you insist that the discarnate
spirits take part in your actions； haunt your house； inspire your thoughts；
reveal your future； it will answer：
〃That is true； but it is still I； I am discarnate； or rather I am not wholly
incarnate： it is only a small part of my being that is embodied in your flesh；
and the rest； which is nearly all of me； comes and goes freely both among
those who once were and among those who are yet to be； and； when they
seem to speak to you； it is my own speech that borrows their customs and
their voice in order to make you list
