louis lambert-第20章

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〃Monsieur　is　your　old　school…friend；〃　she　said　to　Louis。

He　made　no　reply。　At　last　I　could　see　him；　and　it　was　one　of　those
spectacles　that　are　stamped　on　the　memory　for　ever。　He　was　standing；
his　elbows　resting　on　the　cornice　of　the　low　wainscot；　which　threw　his
body　forward；　so　that　it　seemed　bowed　under　the　weight　of　his　bent
head。　His　hair　was　as　long　as　a　woman's；　falling　over　his　shoulders
and　hanging　about　his　face；　giving　him　a　resemblance　to　the　busts　of
the　great　men　of　the　time　of　Louis　XIV。　His　face　was　perfectly　white。
He　constantly　rubbed　one　leg　against　the　other；　with　a　mechanical
action　that　nothing　could　have　checked；　and　the　incessant　friction　of
the　bones　made　a　doleful　sound。　Near　him　was　a　bed　of　moss　on　boards。

〃He　very　rarely　lies　down；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Villenoix；　〃but
whenever　he　does；　he　sleeps　for　several　days。〃

Louis　stood；　as　I　beheld　him；　day　and　night　with　a　fixed　gaze；　never
winking　his　eyelids　as　we　do。　Having　asked　Mademoiselle　de　Villenoix
whether　a　little　more　light　would　hurt　our　friend；　on　her　reply　I
opened　the　shutters　a　little　way；　and　could　see　the　expression　of
Lambert's　countenance。　Alas！　he　was　wrinkled；　white…headed；　his　eyes
dull　and　lifeless　as　those　of　the　blind。　His　features　seemed　all　drawn
upwards　to　the　top　of　his　head。　I　made　several　attempts　to　talk　to
him；　but　he　did　not　hear　me。　He　was　a　wreck　snatched　from　the　grave；　a
conquest　of　life　from　deathor　of　death　from　life！

I　stayed　for　about　an　hour；　sunk　in　unaccountable　dreams；　and　lost　in
painful　thought。　I　listened　to　Mademoiselle　de　Villenoix；　who　told　me
every　detail　of　this　lifethat　of　a　child　in　arms。

Suddenly　Louis　ceased　rubbing　his　legs　together；　and　said　slowly：

〃The　angels　are　white。〃

I　cannot　express　the　effect　produced　upon　me　by　this　utterance；　by　the
sound　of　the　voice　I　had　loved；　whose　accents；　so　painfully　expected；
had　seemed　to　be　lost　for　ever。　My　eyes　filled　with　tears　in　spite　of
every　effort。　An　involuntary　instinct　warned　me；　making　me　doubt
whether　Louis　had　really　lost　his　reason。　I　was　indeed　well　assured
that　he　neither　saw　nor　heard　me；　but　the　sweetness　of　his　tone；　which
seemed　to　reveal　heavenly　happiness；　gave　his　speech　an　amazing
effect。　These　words；　the　incomplete　revelation　of　an　unknown　world；
rang　in　our　souls　like　some　glorious　distant　bells　in　the　depth　of　a
dark　night。　I　was　no　longer　surprised　that　Mademoiselle　de　Villenoix
considered　Lambert　to　be　perfectly　sane。　The　life　of　the　soul　had
perhaps　subdued　that　of　the　body。　His　faithful　companion　had；　no　doubt
as　I　had　at　that　momentintuitions　of　that　melodious　and　beautiful
existence　to　which　we　give　the　name　of　Heaven　in　its　highest　meaning。

This　woman；　this　angel；　always　was　with　him；　seated　at　her　embroidery
frame；　and　each　time　she　drew　the　needle　out　she　gazed　at　Lambert　with
sad　and　tender　feeling。　Unable　to　endure　this　terrible　sightfor　I
could　not；　like　Mademoiselle　de　Villenoix；　read　all　his　secretsI
went　out；　and　she　came　with　me　to　walk　for　a　few　minutes　and　talk　of
herself　and　of　Lambert。

〃Louis　must；　no　doubt；　appear　to　be　mad；〃　said　she。　〃But　he　is　not；　if
the　term　mad　ought　only　to　be　used　in　speaking　of　those　whose　brain　is
for　some　unknown　cause　diseased；　and　who　can　show　no　reason　in　their
actions。　Everything　in　my　husband　is　perfectly　balanced。　Though　he　did
not　actively　recognize　you；　it　is　not　that　he　did　not　see　you。　He　has
succeeded　in　detaching　himself　from　his　body；　and　discerns　us　under
some　other　aspectwhat　that　is；　I　know　not。　When　he　speaks；　he　utters
wondrous　things。　Only　it　often　happens　that　he　concludes　in　speech　an
idea　that　had　its　beginning　in　his　mind；　or　he　may　begin　a　sentence
and　finish　it　in　thought。　To　other　men　he　seems　insane；　to　me；　living
as　I　do　in　his　mind；　his　ideas　are　quite　lucid。　I　follow　the　road　his
spirit　travels；　and　though　I　do　not　know　every　turning；　I　can　reach
the　goal　with　him。

〃Which　of　us　has　not　often　known　what　it　is　to　think　of　some　futile
thing　and　be　led　on　to　some　serious　reflection　through　the　ideas　or
memories　it　brings　in　its　train？　Not　unfrequently；　after　speaking
about　some　trifle；　the　simple　starting…point　of　a　rapid　train　of
reflections；　a　thinker　may　forget　or　be　silent　as　to　the　abstract
connection　of　ideas　leading　to　his　conclusion；　and　speak　again　only　to
utter　the　last　link　in　the　chain　of　his　meditations。

〃Inferior　minds；　to　whom　this　swift　mental　vision　is　a　thing　unknown；
who　are　ignorant　of　the　spirit's　inner　workings；　laugh　at　the　dreamer；
and　if　he　is　subject　to　this　kind　of　obliviousness；　regard　him　as　a
madman。　Louis　is　always　in　this　state；　he　soars　perpetually　through
the　spaces　of　thought；　traversing　them　with　the　swiftness　of　a
swallow；　I　can　follow　him　in　his　flight。　This　is　the　whole　history　of
his　madness。　Some　day；　perhaps；　Louis　will　come　back　to　the　life　in
which　we　vegetate；　but　if　he　breathes　the　air　of　heaven　before　the
time　when　we　may　be　permitted　to　do　so；　why　should　we　desire　to　have
him　down　among　us？　I　am　content　to　hear　his　heart　beat；　and　all　my
happiness　is　to　be　with　him。　Is　he　not　wholly　mine？　In　three　years；
twice　at　intervals　he　was　himself　for　a　few　days；　once　in　Switzerland；
where　we　went；　and　once　in　an　island　off　the　wilds　of　Brittany；　where
we　took　some　sea…baths。　I　have　twice　been　very　happy！　I　can　live　on
memory。〃

〃But　do　you　write　down　the　things　he　says？〃　I　asked。

〃Why　should　I？〃　said　she。

I　was　silent；　human　knowledge　was　indeed　as　nothing　in　this　woman's
eyes。

〃At　those　times；　when　he　talked　a　little；〃　she　added；　〃I　think　I　have
recorded　some　of　his　phrases；　but　I　left　it　off；　I　did　not　understand
him　then。〃

I　asked　her　for　them　by　a　look；　she　understood　me。　This　is　what　I　have
been　able　to　preserve　from　oblivion。



I

　　Everything　here　on　earth　is　produced　by　an　ethereal　substance
　　which　is　the　common　element　of　various　phenomena；　known
　　inaccurately　as　electricity；　heat；　light；　the　galvanic　fluid；　the
　　magnetic　fluid；　and　so　forth。　The　universal　distribution　of　this
　　substance；　under　various　forms；　constitutes　what　is　commonly　known
　　as　Matter。



II

　　The　brain　is　the　alembic　to　which　the　Animal　conveys　what　each　of
　　its　organizations；　in　proportion　to　the　strength　of　that　vessel；
　　can　absorb　of　that　Substance；　which　returns　it　transformed　into
　　Will。

　　The　Will　is　a　fluid　inherent　in　every　creature　endowed　with
　　motion。　Hence　the　innumerable　forms　assumed　by　the　Animal；　the
　　results　of　its　combinations　with　that　Substance。　The　Animal's
　　instincts　are　the　product　of　the　coercion　of　the　environment　in
　　which　it　develops。　Hence　its　variety。



III

　　In　Man　the　Will　becomes　a　power　peculiar　to　him；　and　exceeding　in
　　intensity　that　of　any　other　species。



IV

　　By　constant　assimilation；　the　Will　depends　on　the　Substance　it
　　meets　with　again　and　again　in　all　its　transmutations；　pervading
　　them　by　Thought；　which　is　a　product　peculiar　to　the　human　Will；　in
　　combination　with　the　modifications　of　that　Substance。



V

　　The　innumerable　forms　assumed　by　Thought　are　the　result　of　the
　　greater　or　less　perfection　of　the　human　mechanism。



VI

　　The　Will　acts　through　organs　commonly　called　the　five　senses；
　　which；　in　fact；　are　but　onethe　faculty　of　Sight。　Feeling　and
　　tasting；　hearing　and　smelling；　are　Sight　modified　to　the
　　transformations　of　the　Substance　which　Man　can　absorb　in　two
　　conditions：　untransformed　and　transformed。



VII

　　Everything　of　which　the　form　comes　within　the　cognizance　of　the
　　one　sense　of　Sight　may　be　reduced　to　certain　simple　bodies　of
　　which　the　elements　exist　in　the　air；　the　light；　or　in　the　elements
　　of　air　and　light。　Sound　is　a　condition　of　the　air；　colors　are　all
　　conditions　of　light；　every　smell　is　a　combination　of　air　and
　　light；　hence　the　four　aspects　of　Matter　with　regard　to　Mansound；
　　color；　smell；　and　shape　have　the　same　origin；　for　the　day　is　not
　　far　off　when　the　relationship　of　the　phenomena　of　air　and　light
　　will　be　made　clear。

　　Thought；　which　is　allied　to　Light；　is　expressed　in　words　which
　　depend　on　sound。　To　man；　then；　everything　is　derived　from　the
　　Substance；　whose　transformations　vary　only　through　Numbera
　　certain　quantitative　dissimilarity；　the　proportions　resulting　in
　　the　individuals　or　objects　of　what　are　classed　as　Kingdoms。



VIII

　　When　the　Substance　is　absorbed　in　sufficient　number　（or　quantity）
　　it　makes　of　man　an　immensely　powerful　mechanism；　in　direct
　　communication　with　the　very　element　of　the　Substance；　and　acting
　　on　organic　nature　in　the　same　way　as　a　large　stream　when　it
　　absorbs　the　smaller　brooks。　Volition　sets　this　force　in　motion
　　independently　of　the　Mind。　By　its　concentration　it　acquires　some
　　of　the　qualities　of　the　Substance；　such　as　the　swiftness　of　light；
　　the　penetrating　power　of　electricity；　and　the　faculty　of
　　saturating　a　body；　to　which　must　be　added　that　it　apprehends　what
　　it　can　do。

　　Still；　there　is　in　man　a　primordial　and　overruling　phenomenon
　　which　defies　analysis。　Man　may　be　dissected　completely；　the
　　elements　of　Will　and　Mind　may　perhaps　be　found；　but　there　still
　　will　remain　beyond　apprehension　the　/x/　against　which　I　once　used
　　to　struggle。　That　/x/　is　the　Word；　the　Logos；　whose　communication
　　burns　and　consumes　those　who　are　not　prepared　to　receive　it。　The
　　Word　is　for　ever　generating　the　Substance。



IX

　　Rage；　like　all　our　vehement　demonstrations；　is　a　current　of　the
　　human　force　that　acts　electrically；　its　turmoil　when　liberated
　　acts　on　persons　who　are　present　even　though　they　be　neither　its
　　cause　nor　its　object。　Are　there　not　certain　men　who　by　a　discharge
　　of　Volition　can　sublimate　the　essence　of　the　feelings　of　the
　　masses？



X

　　Fanaticism　and　all　emotions　are　living　forces。　These　forces　in
　　some　beings　become　rivers　that　gather　in　and　sweep　away
　　everything。



XI

　　Though　Space　/is/；　certain　faculties　have　the　power　of　traversing
　　it　with　such　rapidity　that　it　is　as　though　it　existed　not。　From
　　your　own　bed　to　the　frontiers　of　the　universe　there　are　but　two
　　steps：　Will　and　Faith。



XII

　　Facts　are　nothing；　they　do　not　subsist；　all　that　lives　of　us　is
　　the　Idea。



XIII

　　The　realm　of　Ideas　is　divided　into　three　spheres：　that　of
　　Instinct；　that　of　Abstractions；　that　of　Specialism。



XIV

　　The　greater　part；　the　weaker　part　of　visible　humanity；　dwells　in
　　the　Sphere　of　Instinct。　The　/Instinctives/　are　born；　labor；　and
　　die　without　rising　to　the　second　degree　of　human　intelligence；
　　namely　Abstraction。



XV

　　Society　begins　in　the　sphere　of　Abstraction。　If　Abstraction；　as
　　compared　with　Instinct；　is　an　almost　divine　power；　it　is
　　nevertheless　incredibly　weak　as　compared　with　the　gift　of
　　Specialism；　which　is　the　formula　of　God。　Abstraction　comprises　all
　　nature　in　a　germ；　more　virtually　than　a　seed　contains　the　whole
　　system　of　a　plant　and　its　fruits。　From　Abstraction　are　derived
　　laws；　arts；　social　ideas；　and　interests。　It　is　the　glory　and　the
　　scourge　of　the　earth：　its　glory　because　it　has　created　social
　　life；　its　scourge　because　it　allows　man　to　evade　ent