louis lambert-第7章

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feelings；　his　words；　his　actions；　his　slightest　gestures；　the　conjugal
regard　that　united　us　as　boys；　and　that　we　expressed　when　we　called
ourselves　/chums/？

There　was　no　distinction　for　us　between　my　ideas　and　his。　We　imitated
each　other's　handwriting；　so　that　one　might　write　the　tasks　of　both。
Thus；　if　one　of　us　had　a　book　to　finish　and　to　return　to　the
mathematical　master；　he　could　read　on　without　interruption　while　the
other　scribbled　off　his　exercise　and　imposition。　We　did　our　tasks　as
though　paying　a　task　on　our　peace　of　mind。　If　my　memory　does　not　play
me　false；　they　were　sometimes　of　remarkable　merit　when　Lambert　did
them。　But　on　the　foregone　conclusion　that　we　were　both　of　us　idiots；
the　master　always　went　through　them　under　a　rooted　prejudice；　and　even
kept　them　to　read　to　be　laughed　at　by　our　schoolfellows。

I　remember　one　afternoon；　at　the　end　of　the　lesson；　which　lasted　from
two　till　four；　the　master　took　possession　of　a　page　of　translation　by
Lambert。　The　passage　began　with　/Caius　Gracchus；　vir　nobilis/；　Lambert
had　construed　this　by　〃Caius　Gracchus　had　a　noble　heart。〃

〃Where　do　you　find　'heart'　in　/nobilis/？〃　said　the　Father　sharply。

And　there　was　a　roar　of　laughter；　while　Lambert　looked　at　the　master
in　some　bewilderment。

〃What　would　Madame　la　Baronne　de　Stael　say　if　she　could　know　that　you
make　such　nonsense　of　a　word　that　means　noble　family；　of　patrician
rank？〃

〃She　would　say　that　you　were　an　ass！〃　said　I　in　a　muttered　tone。

〃Master　Poet；　you　will　stay　in　for　a　week；〃　replied　the　master；　who
unfortunately　overheard　me。

Lambert　simply　repeated；　looking　at　me　with　inexpressible　affection；
〃/Vir　nobilis/！〃

Madame　de　Stael　was；　in　fact；　partly　the　cause　of　Lambert's　troubles。
On　every　pretext　masters　and　pupils　threw　the　name　in　his　teeth；
either　in　irony　or　in　reproof。

Louis　lost　no　time　in　getting　himself　〃kept　in〃　to　share　my
imprisonment。　Freer　thus　than　in　any　other　circumstances；　we　could
talk　the　whole　day　long　in　the　silence　of　the　dormitories；　where　each
boy　had　a　cubicle　six　feet　square；　the　partitions　consisting　at　the
top　of　open　bars。　The　doors；　fitted　with　gratings；　were　locked　at
night　and　opened　in　the　morning　under　the　eye　of　the　Father　whose　duty
it　was　to　superintend　our　rising　and　going　to　bed。　The　creak　of　these
gates；　which　the　college　servants　unlocked　with　remarkable　expedition；
was　a　sound　peculiar　to　that　college。　These　little　cells　were　our
prison；　and　boys　were　sometimes　shut　up　there　for　a　month　at　a　time。
The　boys　in　these　coops　were　under　the　stern　eye　of　the　prefect；　a
sort　of　censor　who　stole　up　at　certain　hours；　or　at　unexpected
moments；　with　a　silent　step；　to　hear　if　we　were　talking　instead　of
writing　our　impositions。　But　a　few　walnut　shells　dropped　on　the
stairs；　or　the　sharpness　of　our　hearing；　almost　always　enabled　us　to
beware　of　his　coming；　so　we　could　give　ourselves　up　without　anxiety　to
our　favorite　studies。　However；　as　books　were　prohibited；　our　prison
hours　were　chiefly　filled　up　with　metaphysical　discussions；　or　with
relating　singular　facts　connected　with　the　phenomena　of　mind。

One　of　the　most　extraordinary　of　these　incidents　beyond　question　is
this；　which　I　will　here　record；　not　only　because　it　concerns　Lambert；
but　because　it　perhaps　was　the　turning…point　of　his　scientific　career。
By　the　law　of　custom　in　all　schools；　Thursday　and　Sunday　were
holidays；　but　the　services；　which　we　were　made　to　attend　very
regularly；　so　completely　filled　up　Sunday；　that　we　considered　Thursday
our　only　real　day　of　freedom。　After　once　attending　Mass；　we　had　a　long
day　before　us　to　spend　in　walks　in　the　country　round　the　town　of
Vendome。　The　manor　of　Rochambeau　was　the　most　interesting　object　of
our　excursions；　perhaps　by　reason　of　its　distance；　the　smaller　boys
were　very　seldom　taken　on　so　fatiguing　an　expedition。　However；　once　or
twice　a　year　the　class…masters　would　hold　out　Rochambeau　as　a　reward
for　diligence。

In　1812；　towards　the　end　of　the　spring；　we　were　to　go　there　for　the
first　time。　Our　anxiety　to　see　this　famous　chateau　of　Rochambeau；
where　the　owner　sometimes　treated　the　boys　to　milk；　made　us　all　very
good；　and　nothing　hindered　the　outing。　Neither　Lambert　nor　I　had　ever
seen　the　pretty　valley　of　the　Loire　where　the　house　stood。　So　his
imagination　and　mine　were　much　excited　by　the　prospect　of　this
excursion；　which　filled　the　school　with　traditional　glee。　We　talked　of
it　all　the　evening；　planning　to　spend　in　fruit　or　milk　such　money　as
we　had　saved；　against　all　the　habits　of　school…life。

After　dinner　next　day；　we　set　out　at　half…past　twelve；　each　provided
with　a　square　hunch　of　bread；　given　to　us　for　our　afternoon　snack。　And
off　we　went；　as　gay　as　swallows；　marching　in　a　body　on　the　famous
chateau　with　an　eagerness　which　would　at　first　allow　of　no　fatigue。
When　we　reached　the　hill；　whence　we　looked　down　on　the　house　standing
half…way　down　the　slope；　on　the　devious　valley　through　which　the　river
winds　and　sparkles　between　meadows　in　graceful　curvesa　beautiful
landscape；　one　of　those　scenes　to　which　the　keen　emotions　of　early
youth　or　of　love　lend　such　a　charm；　that　it　is　wise　never　to　see　them
again　in　later　yearsLouis　Lambert　said　to　me；　〃Why；　I　saw　this　last
night　in　a　dream。〃

He　recognized　the　clump　of　trees　under　which　we　were　standing；　the
grouping　of　the　woods；　the　color　of　the　water；　the　turrets　of　the
chateau；　the　details；　the　distance；　in　fact　every　part　of　the　prospect
which　we　looked　on　for　the　first　time。　We　were　mere　children；　I；　at
any　rate；　who　was　but　thirteen；　Louis；　at　fifteen；　might　have　the
precocity　of　genius；　but　at　that　time　we　were　incapable　of　falsehood
in　the　most　trivial　matters　of　our　life　as　friends。　Indeed；　if
Lambert's　powerful　mind　had　any　presentiment　of　the　importance　of　such
facts；　he　was　far　from　appreciating　their　whole　bearing；　and　he　was
quite　astonished　by　this　incident。　I　asked　him　if　he　had　not　perhaps
been　brought　to　Rochambeau　in　his　infancy；　and　my　question　struck　him；
but　after　thinking　it　over；　he　answered　in　the　negative。　This
incident；　analogous　to　what　may　be　known　of　the　phenomena　of　sleep　in
several　persons；　will　illustrate　the　beginnings　of　Lambert's　line　of
talent；　he　took　it；　in　fact；　as　the　basis　of　a　whole　system；　using　a
fragmentas　Cuvier　did　in　another　branch　of　inquiryas　a　clue　to　the
reconstruction　of　a　complete　system。

At　this　moment　we　were　sitting　together　on　an　old　oak…stump；　and　after
a　few　minutes'　reflection；　Louis　said　to　me：

〃If　the　landscape　did　not　come　to　mewhich　it　is　absurd　to　imagineI
must　have　come　here。　If　I　was　here　while　I　was　asleep　in　my　cubicle；
does　not　that　constitute　a　complete　severance　of　my　body　and　my　inner
being？　Does　it　not　prove　some　inscrutable　locomotive　faculty　in　the
spirit　with　effects　resembling　those　of　locomotion　in　the　body？　Well；
then；　if　my　spirit　and　my　body　can　be　severed　during　sleep；　why　should
I　not　insist　on　their　separating　in　the　same　way　while　I　am　awake？　I
see　no　half…way　mean　between　the　two　propositions。

〃But　if　we　go　further　into　details：　either　the　facts　are　due　to　the
action　of　a　faculty　which　brings　out　a　second　being　to　whom　my　body　is
merely　a　husk；　since　I　was　in　my　cell；　and　yet　I　saw　the　landscape
and　this　upsets　many　systems；　or　the　facts　took　place　either　in　some
nerve　centre；　of　which　the　name　is　yet　to　be　discovered；　where　our
feelings　dwell　and　move；　or　else　in　the　cerebral　centre；　where　ideas
are　formed。　This　last　hypothesis　gives　rise　to　some　strange　questions。
I　walked；　I　saw；　I　heard。　Motion　is　inconceivable　but　in　space；　sound
acts　only　at　certain　angles　or　on　surfaces；　color　is　caused　only　by
light。　If；　in　the　dark；　with　my　eyes　shut；　I　saw；　in　myself；　colored
objects；　if　I　heard　sounds　in　the　most　perfect　silence　and　without　the
conditions　requisite　for　the　production　of　sound；　if　without　stirring
I　traversed　wide　tracts　of　space；　there　must　be　inner　faculties
independent　of　the　external　laws　of　physics。　Material　nature　must　be
penetrable　by　the　spirit。

〃How　is　it　that　men　have　hitherto　given　so　little　thought　to　the
phenomena　of　sleep；　which　seem　to　prove　that　man　has　a　double　life？
May　there　not　be　a　new　science　lying　beneath　them？〃　he　added；　striking
his　brow　with　his　hand。　〃If　not　the　elements　of　a　science；　at　any　rate
the　revelation　of　stupendous　powers　in　man；　at　least　they　prove　a
frequent　severance　of　our　two　natures；　the　fact　I　have　been　thinking
out　for　a　very　long　time。　At　last；　then；　I　have　hit　on　evidence　to
show　the　superiority　that　distinguishes　our　latent　senses　from　our
corporeal　senses！　/Homo　duplex/！

〃And　yet；〃　he　went　on；　after　a　pause；　with　a　doubtful　shrug；　〃perhaps
we　have　not　two　natures；　perhaps　we　are　merely　gifted　with　personal
and　perfectible　qualities；　of　which　the　development　within　us　produces
certain　unobserved　phenomena　of　activity；　penetration；　and　vision。　In
our　love　of　the　marvelous；　a　passion　begotten　of　our　pride；　we　have
translated　these　effects　into　poetical　inventions；　because　we　did　not
understand　them。　It　is　so　convenient　to　deify　the　incomprehensible！

〃I　should；　I　own；　lament　over　the　loss　of　my　illusions。　I　so　much
wished　to　believe　in　our　twofold　nature　and　in　Swedenborg's　angels。
Must　this　new　science　destroy　them？　Yes；　for　the　study　of　our　unknown
properties　involves　us　in　a　science　that　appears　to　be　materialistic；
for　the　Spirit　uses；　divides；　and　animates　the　Substance；　but　it　does
not　destroy　it。〃

He　remained　pensive；　almost　sad。　Perhaps　he　saw　the　dreams　of　his
youth　as　swaddling　clothes　that　he　must　soon　shake　off。

〃Sight　and　hearing　are；　no　doubt；　the　sheaths　for　a　very　marvelous
instrument；〃　said　he；　laughing　at　his　own　figure　of　speech。

Always　when　he　was　talking　to　me　of　Heaven　and　Hell；　he　was　wont　to
treat　of　Nature　as　being　master；　but　now；　as　he　pronounced　these　last
words；　big　with　prescience；　he　seemed　to　soar　more　boldly　than　ever
above　the　landscape；　and　his　forehead　seemed　ready　to　burst　with　the
afflatus　of　genius。　His　powersmental　powers　we　must　call　them　till
some　new　term　is　foundseemed　to　flash　from　the　organs　intended　to
express　them。　His　eyes　shot　out　thoughts；　his　uplifted　hand；　his
silent　but　tremulous　lips　were　eloquent；　his　burning　glance　was
radiant；　at　last　his　head；　as　though　too　heavy；　or　exhausted　by　too
eager　a　flight；　fell　on　his　breast。　This　boythis　giantbent　his
head；　took　my　hand　and　clasped　it　in　his　own；　which　was　damp；　so
fevered　was　he　for　the　search　for　truth；　then；　after　a　pause；　he　said：

〃I　shall　be　famous！And　you；　too；〃　he　added　after　a　pause。　〃We　will
both　study　the　Chemistry　of　the　Will。〃

Noble　soul！　I　recognized　his　superiority；　though　he　took　great　care
never　to　make　me　feel　it。　He　shared　with　me　all　the　treasures　of　his
mind；　and　regarded　me　as　instrumental　in　his　discoveries；　leaving　me
the　credit　of　my　insignificant　contributions。　He　was　always　as
gracious　as　a　woman　in　love；　he　had　all　the　bashful　feeling；　the
delicacy　of　soul　which　make　life　happy　and　pleasant　to　endure。



On　the　following　day　he　began　writing　what　he　called　a　/Treatise　on
the　Will/；　his　subsequent　reflections　led　to　many　changes　in　its　plan
and　method；　but　the　incident　of　th