a mortal antipathy-第37章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



get　away　from　him　as　fast　as　she　could。　　As　it　was；　it　was　a　long

time　before　his　agitation　subsided；　and　his　heart　beat　with　its

common　force　and　frequency。



Dr。　Butts　was　not　a　male　gossip　nor　a　matchmaking　go…between。　　But　he

could　not　help　thinking　what　a　pity　it　was　that　these　two　young

persons　could　not　come　together　as　other　young　people　do　in　the

pairing　season；　and　find　out　whether　they　cared　for　and　were　fitted

for　each　other。　　He　did　not　pretend　to　settle　this　question　in　his

own　mind；　but　the　thought　was　a　natural　one。　　And　here　was　a　gulf

between　them　as　deep　and　wide　as　that　between　Lazarus　and　Dives。

Would　it　ever　be　bridged　over？　　This　thought　took　possession　of　the

doctor's　mind；　and　he　imagined　all　sorts　of　ways　of　effecting　some

experimental　approximation　between　Maurice　and　Euthymia。　　From　this

delicate　subject　he　glanced　off　to　certain　general　considerations

suggested　by　the　extraordinary　history　he　had　been　reading。　　He　began

by　speculating　as　to　the　possibility　of　the　personal　presence　of　an

individual　making　itself　perceived　by　some　channel　other　than　any　of

the　five　senses。　　The　study　of　the　natural　sciences　teaches　those　who

are　devoted　to　them　that　the　most　insignificant　facts　may　lead　the

way　to　the　discovery　of　the　most　important；　all…pervading　laws　of　the

universe。　　From　the　kick　of　a　frog's　hind　leg　to　the　amazing　triumphs

which　began　with　that　seemingly　trivial　incident　is　a　long；　a　very

long　stride　if　Madam　Galvani　had　not　been　in　delicate　health；　which

was　the　occasion　of　her　having　some　frog…broth　prepared　for　her；　the

world　of　to…day　might　not　be　in　possession　of　the　electric　telegraph

and　the　light　which　blazes　like　the　sun　at　high　noon。　　A　common…

looking　occurrence；　one　seemingly　unimportant；　which　had　hitherto

passed　unnoticed　with　the　ordinary　course　of　things；　was　the　means　of

introducing　us　to　a　new　and　vast　realm　of　closely　related　phenomena。

It　was　like　a　key　that　we　might　have　picked　up；　looking　so　simple

that　it　could　hardly　fit　any　lock　but　one　of　like　simplicity；　but

which　should　all　at　once　throw　back　the　bolts　of　the　one　lock　which

had　defied　the　most　ingenious　of　our　complex　implements　and　open　our

way　into　a　hitherto　unexplored　territory。



It　certainly　was　not　through　the　eye　alone　that　Maurice　felt　the

paralyzing　influence。　　He　could　contemplate　Euthymia　from　a　distance；

as　he　did　on　the　day　of　the　boat…race；　without　any　nervous

disturbance。　　A　certain　proximity　was　necessary　for　the　influence　to

be　felt；　as　in　the　case　of　magnetism　and　electricity。　　An　atmosphere

of　danger　surrounded　every　woman　he　approached　during　the　period　when

her　sex　exercises　its　most　powerful　attractions。　　How　far　did　that

atmosphere　extend；　and　through　what　channel　did　it　act？



The　key　to　the　phenomena　of　this　case；　he　believed；　was　to　be　found

in　a　fact　as　humble　as　that　which　gave　birth　to　the　science　of

galvanism　and　its　practical　applications。　　The　circumstances

connected　with　the　very　common　antipathy　to　cats　were　as　remarkable

in　many　points　of　view　as　the　similar　circumstances　in　the　case　of

Maurice　Kirkwood。　　The　subjects　of　that　antipathy　could　not　tell　what

it　was　which　disturbed　their　nervous　system。　　All　they　knew　was　that

a　sense　of　uneasiness；　restlessness；　oppression；　came　over　them　in

the　presence　of　one　of　these　animals。　　He　remembered　the　fact　already

mentioned；　that　persons　sensitive　to　this　impression　can　tell　by

their　feelings　if　a　cat　is　concealed　in　the　apartment　in　which　they

may　happen　to　be。　　It　may　be　through　some　emanation。　　It　may　be

through　the　medium　of　some　electrical　disturbance。　　What　if　the

nerve…thrills　passing　through　the　whole　system　of　the　animal

propagate　themselves　to　a　certain　distance　without　any　more　regard　to

intervening　solids　than　is　shown　by　magnetism？　　A　sieve　lets　sand

pass　through　it；　a　filter　arrests　sand；　but　lets　fluids　pass；　glass

holds　fluids；　but　lets　light　through；　wood　shuts　out　light；　but

magnetic　attraction　goes　through　it　as　sand　went　through　the　sieve。

No　good　reasons　can　be　given　why　the　presence　of　a　cat　should　not

betray　itself　to　certain　organizations；　at　a　distance；　through　the

walls　of　a　box　in　which　the　animal　is　shut　up。　　We　need　not

disbelieve　the　stories　which　allege　such　an　occurrence　as　a　fact　and

a　not　very　infrequent　one。



If　the　presence　of　a　cat　can　produce　its　effects　under　these

circumstances；　why　should　not　that　of　a　human　being　under　similar

conditions；　acting　on　certain　constitutions；　exercise　its　specific

influence？　　The　doctor　recalled　a　story　told　him　by　one　of　his

friends；　a　story　which　the　friend　himself　heard　from　the　lips　of　the

distinguished　actor；　the　late　Mr。　Fechter。　　The　actor　maintained　that

Rachel　had　no　genius　as　an　actress。　　It　was　all　Samson's　training　and

study；　according　to　him；　which　explained　the　secret　of　her　wonderful

effectiveness　on　the　stage。　　But　magnetism；　he　said；magnetism；　she

was　full　of。　　He　declared　that　he　was　made　aware　of　her　presence　on

the　stage；　when　he　could　not　see　her　or　know　of　her　presence

otherwise；　by　this　magnetic　emanation。　　The　doctor　took　the　story　for

what　it　was　worth。　　There　might　very　probably　be　exaggeration；

perhaps　high　imaginative　coloring　about　it；　but　it　was　not　a　whit

more　unlikely　than　the　cat…stories；　accepted　as　authentic。　　He

continued　this　train　of　thought　into　further　developments。　　Into　this

series　of　reflections　we　will　try　to　follow　him。



What　is　the　meaning　of　the　halo　with　which　artists　have　surrounded

the　heads　of　their　pictured　saints；　of　the　aureoles　which　wraps　them

like　a　luminous　cloud？　　Is　it　not　a　recognition　of　the　fact　that

these　holy　personages　diffuse　their　personality　in　the　form　of　a

visible　emanation；　which　reminds　us　of　Milton's　definition　of　light：



　　　　〃Bright　effluence　of　bright　essence　increate〃？



The　common　use　of　the　term　influence　would　seem　to　imply　the

existence　of　its　correlative；　effluence。　　There　is　no　good　reason

that　I　can　see；　the　doctor　said　to　himself；　why　among　the　forces

which　work　upon　the　nervous　centres　there　should　not　be　one　which

acts　at　various　distances　from　its　source。　　It　may　not　be　visible

like　the　〃glory〃　of　the　painters；　it　may　not　be　appreciable　by　any

one　of　the　five　senses；　and　yet　it　may　be　felt　by　the　person　reached

by　it　as　much　as　if　it　were　a　palpable　presence；more　powerfully；

perhaps；　from　the　mystery　which　belongs　to　its　mode　of　action。



Why　should　not　Maurice　have　been　rendered　restless　and　anxious　by　the

unseen　nearness　of　a　young　woman　who　was　in　the　next　room　to　him；

just　as　the　persons　who　have　the　dread　of　cats　are　made　conscious　of

their　presence　through　some　unknown　channel？　　Is　it　anything　strange

that　the　larger　and　more　powerful　organism　should　diffuse　a

consciousness　of　its　presence　to　some　distance　as　well　as　the

slighter　and　feebler　one？　　Is　it　strange　that　this　mysterious

influence　or　effluence　should　belong　especially　or　exclusively　to　the

period　of　complete　womanhood　in　distinction　from　that　of　immaturity

or　decadence？　　On　the　contrary；　it　seems　to　be　in　accordance　with　all

the　analogies　of　nature；analogies　too　often　cruel　in　the　sentence

they　pass　upon　the　human　female。



Among　the　many　curious　thoughts　which　came　up　in　the　doctor's　mind

was　this；　which　made　him　smile　as　if　it　were　a　jest；　but　which　he

felt　very　strongly　had　its　serious　side；　and　was　involved　with　the

happiness　or　suffering　of　multitudes　of　youthful　persons　who　die

without　telling　their　secret：



How　many　young　men　have　a　mortal　fear　of　woman；　as　woman；　which　they

never　overcome；　and　in　consequence　of　which　the　attraction　which

draws　man　towards　her；　as　strong　in　them　as　in　others；oftentimes；

in　virtue　of　their　peculiarly　sensitive　organizations；　more　potent　in

them　than　in　others　of　like　age　and　conditions；in　consequence　of

which　fear；　this　attraction　is　completely　neutralized；　and　all　the

possibilities　of　doubled　and　indefinitely　extended　life　depending

upon　it　are　left　unrealized！　　Think　what　numbers　of　young　men　in

Catholic　countries　devote　themselves　to　lives　of　celibacy。　　Think　how

many　young　men　lose　all　their　confidence　in　the　presence　of　the　young

woman　to　whom　they　are　most　attracted；　and　at　last　steal　away　from　a

companionship　which　it　is　rapture　to　dream　of　and　torture　to　endure；

so　does　the　presence　of　the　beloved　object　paralyze　all　the　powers　of

expression。　　Sorcerers　have　in　all　time　and　countries　played　on　the

hopes　and　terrors　of　lovers。　　Once　let　loose　a　strong　impulse　on　the

centre　of　inhibition；　and　the　warrior　who　had　faced　bayonets　and

batteries　becomes　a　coward　whom　the　well…dressed　hero　of　the　ball…

room　and　leader　of　the　German　will　put　to　ignominious　flight　in　five

minutes　of　easy；　audacious　familiarity　with　his　lady…love。



Yes；　the　doctor　went　on　with　his　reflections；　I　do　not　know　that　I

have　seen　the　term　Gynophobia　before　I　opened　this　manuscript；　but　I

have　seen　the　malady　many　times。　　Only　one　word　has　stood　between

many　a　pair　of　young　people　and　their　lifelong　happiness；　and　that

word　has　got　as　far　as　the　lips；　but　the　lips　trembled　and　would　not；

could　not；　shape　that　little　word。　　All　young　women　are　not　like

Coleridge's　Genevieve；　who　knew　how　to　help　her　lover　out　of　his

difficulty；　and　said　yes　before　he　had　asked　for　an　answer。　　So　the

wave　which　was　to　have　wafted　them　on　to　the　shore　of　Elysium　has

just　failed　of　landing　them；　and　back　they　have　been　drawn　into　the

desolate　ocean　to　meet　no　more　on　earth。



Love　is　the　master…key；　he　went　on　thinking；　love　is　the　master…key

that　opens　the　gates　of　happiness；　of　hatred；　of　jealousy；　and；　most

easily　of　all；　the　gate　of　fear。　　How　terrible　is　the　one　fact　of

beauty！not　only　the　historic　wonder　of　beauty；　that　〃burnt　the

topless　towers　of　Ilium　〃for　the　smile　of　Helen；　and　fired　the

palaces　of　Babylon　by　the　hand　of　Thais；　but　the　beauty　which　springs

up　in　all　times　and　places；　and　carries　a　torch　and　wears　a　serpent

for　a　wreath　as　truly　as　any　of　the　Eumenides。　　Paint　Beauty　with　her

foot　upon　a　skull　and　a　dragon　coiled　around　her。



The　doctor　smiled　at　his　own　imposing　classical　allusions　and

pictorial　imagery。　　Drifting　along　from　thought　to　thought；　he

reflected　on　the　probable　consequences　of　the　general　knowledge　of

Maurice　Kirkwood's　story；　if　it　came　before　the　public。



What　a　piece　of　work　it　would　make　among　the　lively　youths　of　the

village；　to　be　sure！　　What　scoffing；　what　ridicule；　what

embellishments；　what　fables；　would　follow　in　the　trail　of　the　story！

If　the　Interviewer　got　hold　of　it；　how　〃The　People's　Perennial　and

Household　Inquisitor〃　would　blaze　with　capitals　in　its　next　issue！

The　young　fellows'　of　the　place　would　be　disposed　to　make　fun　of　the

whole　matter。　　The　young　girls…the　doctor　hardly　dared　to　think　what

would　happen　when　the　story　got　about　among　them。　　〃The　Sachem〃　of

th