the unknown guest(陌生客)-第9章
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tells us so？
This； if you like； is simply shifting the question。 Let it be the medium
or myself that discovers the unknown personality in the object or tracks it
across time and space： all that we do is to widen the scope of our riddle；
while leaving it no less obscure。 Nevertheless； there is some interest in
knowing whether we have to do with a general faculty latent in all men or
an inexplicable privilege reserved to rare individuals。 The exceptional
should always be eliminated； if possible； and not left to hang over the
abyss like an unfinished bridge leading to nothing。 I am well aware that
the compulsory intervention of the medium implies that； in spite of all； we
recognize his possession of abnormal faculties； but at any rate we reduce
their power and their extent appreciably and we return sooner and more
easily to the ordinary laws of the great human mystery。 And it is of
importance that we should be ever coming back to that mystery and ever
bringing all things back to it。 But； unfortunately； actual experience does
not admit of this generalization。 It is clearly a case of a special faculty； one
peculiar to the medium； one which is wholly unknown to our latent
intuition。 We can easily assure ourselves of this by causing the medium to
receive through a third party and enclosed in a series of three envelopes； as
in the experiment described above； a letter of which we know the writer；
but of which both the source and the contents are absolutely unknown to
the messenger。 These unusual circumstances； in which all subconscious
communications between consultant and consulted are strictly cut off； will
in no way hamper the medium's clairvoyance； and we may fairly conclude
that it is actually the medium himself who discovers directly； without any
intermediary； without 〃relays；〃 to use M。 Duchatel's expression； all that the
object holds concealed。 It； therefore； seems certain that there is； at least in
psychometry； something more than the mere mirror of which Dr。 Osty
speaks。
10
I consider it necessary to declare for the last time that these
psychometric phenomena； astonishing though they appear at first； are
known； proved and certain and are no longer denied or doubted by any of
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those who have studied them seriously。 I could have given full particulars
of a large number of conclusive experiments； but this seemed to me as
superfluous and tedious as would be； for instance； a string of names of the
recognized chemical reactions that can be obtained in a laboratory。 Any
one who pleases is at liberty to convince himself of the reality of the facts；
provided that he applies to genuine mediums and keeps aloof from the
inferior 〃seers〃 and especially the shams and imposters who swarm in this
region more than in any other。 Even with the best of them； he will have to
be careful of the involuntary； unconscious and almost inevitable
interference of telepathy； which is also very interesting； though it is a
phenomenon of a different class； much less surprising and debatable than
pure psychometry。 He must also learn the art of interrogating the medium
and refrain from asking incoherent and random questions about casual or
future events。 He will not forget that 〃clairvoyance is strictly limited to the
perception of human personality；〃 according to the role so well formulated
by Dr。 Osty。 Experiments have been made in which a psychometer； on
touching the tooth of a prehistoric animal； saw the landscapes and the
cataclysms of the earth's earliest ages displayed before his eyes； in which
another medium； on handling a jewel； conjured up； it would seem with
marvellous exactness； the games and processions of ancient Greece； as
though the objects permanently retained the recollection or rediscovered
the 〃astral negatives〃 of all the events which they once witnessed。 But it
will be understood that； in such cases； any effective control is； so to speak；
impossible and that the part played by telepathy cannot be decided。 It is
important； therefore； to keep strictly to that which can be verified。
Even when thus limiting his scope； the experimenter will meet with
many surprises。 For instance； though the revelations of two psychometers
to whom the same letter is handed in succession most often agree
remarkably in their main outlines； it can also happen that one of them
perceives only what concerns the writer of the letter； whereas the other
will be interested only in the person to whom the letter was addressed or to
a third person who was in the room where the letter was written。 It is well
to be forearmed against these first mistakes； which； for that matter； in the
frequent cases where strict control is possible； but confirm the existence
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THE UNKNOWN GUEST
and the independence of the astounding faculty。
11
As for the theories that attempt to explain it； I am quite willing to grant
that they are still somewhat confused。 The important thing for the moment
is the accumulation of claims and experiments that go feeling their way
farther and farther along all the paths of the unknown。 Meanwhile； that
one unexpected door which sheds at the back of our old convictions more
than one unexpected door； which sheds upon the life and habits of our
secret being sufficient light to puzzle us for many a long day。 This brings
us back once more to the omniscience and perhaps the omnipotence of our
hidden guest； to the brink of the mysterious reservoir of every manner of
knowledge which we shall meet with again when we come to speak of the
future； of the talking horses； of the divining…rod； of materializations and
miracles； in short； in every circumstance where we pass beyond the
horizon of our little daily life。 As we thus advance； with slow and cautious
footsteps； in them as yet deserted and very nebulous regions of
metapsychics； we are compelled to recognize that there must exist
somewhere； in this world or in others； a spot in which everything is known；
in which everything is possible； to which everything goes； from which
everything comes； which belongs to all； to which all have access； but of
which the long…forgotten roads must be learnt again by our stumbling feet。
We shall often meet those difficult roads in the course of our present quest
and we shall have more than one occasion to refer again to those depths
into which all the supernatural facts of our existence flow； unless indeed
they take their source there。 For the moment； that which most above all
engage our attention in these psychometric phenomena is their purely and
exclusively human character。 They occur between the living and the living；
on this solid earth of ours； in the world that lies before our eyes； and the
spirits； the dead； the gods and the interplanetary intelligences know them
not。 Hardly anywhere else； except in the equally perplexing manifestations
of the divining…rod and in certain materializations； shall we find with the
same clearness this same specific character； if we may call it so。 This is a
valuable lesson。 It tells us that our every…day life provides phenomena as
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disturbing and of exactly the same kind and nature as those which； in other
circumstances； we attribute to other forces than ours。 It teaches us also that
we must first direct and exhaust our enquiries here below； among
ourselves； before passing to the other side； for our first care should be to
simplify the interpretations and explanations and not to seek elsewhere； in
opposition； what probably lies hidden within us in reality。 Afterwards； if
the unknown overwhelm us utterly； if the darkness engulf us beyond all
hope； there will still be time to go； none can tell where； to question the
deities or the dead。
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THE UNKNOWN GUEST
CHAPTER III。
THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE FUTURE
1
Premonition or precognition leads us to still more mysterious regions；
where stands； half merging from an intolerable darkness； the gravest
problem that can thrill mankind； the knowledge of the future。 The latest；
the best and the most complete study devoted to it is； I believe； that
recently published by M。 Ernest Bozzano； under the title Des Phenomenes
Premonitoires。 Availing himself of excellent earlier work； notably that of
Mrs。 Sidgwick and Myers＇1＇ and adding the result of his own researches；
the author collects some thousand cases of precognition； of which he
discusses one hundred and sixty； leaving the great majority of the others
on one side。 Not because they are negligible； but because he does not wish
to exceed too flagrantly the normal limits of a monograph。
＇1＇ Proceedings； Vols。 V。 and XI。
He begins by carefully eliminating all the episodes which； though
apparently premonitory； may be explained by self…suggestion （as in the
case； for instance； where some one smitten with a disease still latent seems
to foresee this disease and the death which will be its conclusion）； by
telepathy （when a sensitive is aware beforehand of the arrival of a person
or a letter）； or lastly by clairvoyance （when a man dreams of a spot where
he will find something which he has mislaid； or an uncommon plant； or an
insect sought for in vain； or of the unknown place which he will visit at
some lat
