the unknown guest-第22章

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ture　of　their　senses。　Many　of　the　great　laws　on　which　our　life　is　based　do　not　exist　for　them：　those；　for　instance；　which　govern　fluids　are　completely　reversed。　They　seem　to　inhabit　our　planet；　but　in　reality　move　in　an　entirely　different　world。　Understanding　nothing　of　their　intelligence　pierced　with　disconcerting　gaps；　in　which　the　blindest　stupidity　suddenly　comes　and　destroys　the　ablest　and　most　inspired　schemes；　we　have　given　the　name　of　instinct　to　that　which　we　could　not　apprehend；　postponing　our　interpretation　of　a　word　that　touches　upon　life's　most　insoluble　riddles。　There　is；　therefore；　from　the　point　of　view　of　the　intellectual　faculties；　nothing　to　be　gathered　from　those　extraordinary　creatures　who　are　not；　like　the　other　animals；　our　〃lesser　brothers；〃　but　strangers；　aliens　from　we　know　not　where；　survivors　or　percursors　of　another　world。

21

We　were　at　this　stage；　slumbering　peacefully　in　our　long…established　convictions；　when　a　man　entered　upon　the　scene　and　suddenly　showed　us　that　we　were　wrong　and　that；　for　long　centuries；　we　had　over　looked　a　truth　which　was　scarcely　even　covered　with　a　very　thin　veil。　And　the　strangest　thing　is　that　this　astonishing　discovery；　is　in　no　wise　the　natural　consequence　of　a　new　invention；　of　processes　or　methods　hitherto　unknown。　It　owes　nothing　to　the　latest　acquirements　of　our　knowledge。　It　springs　from　the　humblest　idea　which　the　most　primitive　man　might　have　conceived　in　the　first　days　of　the　earth's　existence。　It　is　simply　a　matter　of　having　a　little　more　patience；　confidence　and　respect　for　all　that　which　shares　our　lot　in　a　world　whereof　we　know　none　of　the　purposes。　It　is　simply　a　matter　of　having　a　little　less　pride　and　of　looking　a　little　more　fraternally　upon　existences　that　are　much　more　fraternal　than　we　believed。　There　is　no　secret　about　the　almost　puerile　ingenuousness　of　Von　Osten's　methods　and　Krall's。　They　start　with　the　principle　that　the　horse　is　an　ignorant　but　intelligent　child；　and　they　treat　him　as　such。　They　speak；　explain；　demonstrate；　argue　and　mete　out　rewards　or　punishments　like　a　schoolmaster　addressing　little　boys　of　five　or　six。　They　begin　by　placing　a　few　skittle…pins　in　front　of　their　strange　pupil。　They　count　them　and　make　him　count　them　by　alternately　lifting　and　lowering　the　horse's　hoof。　He　thus　obtains　his　first　notion　of　numbers。　They　next　add　one　or　two　more　skittles　and　say；　for　instance：

〃Three　skittles　and　two　skittles　are　five　skittles。〃

In　this　way；　they　explain　and　teach　addition；　next；　by　the　reverse　process；　subtraction；　which　is　followed　by　multiplication；　division　and　all　the　rest。

At　the　beginning；　the　lessons　are　extremely　laborious　and　demand　an　untiring　and　loving　patience；　which　is　the　whole　secret　of　the　miracle。　But；　as　soon　as　the　first　barrier　of　darkness　is　passed；　the　progress　becomes　bewilderingly　rapid。

All　this　is　incontestable；　and　the　facts　are　there；　before　which　we　must　need　bow。　But　what　upsets　all　our　convictions　or；　more　correctly；　all　the　prejudices　which　thousands　of　years　have　made　as　invincible　as　axioms；　what　we　do　not　succeed　in　understanding　is　that　the　horse　at　once　understands　what　we　want　of　him；　it　is　that　first　step；　the　first　tremor　of　an　unexpected　intelligence；　which　suddenly　reveals　itself　as　human。　At　what　precise　second　did　the　light　appear　and　was　the　veil　rent　under？　It　is　impossible　to　say；　but　it　is　certain　that；　at　a　given　moment；　without　any　visible　sign　to　reveal　the　prodigious　inner　transformation；　the　horse　acts　and　replies　as　though　he　suddenly　understood　the　speech　of　man。　What　is　it　that　sets　the　miracle　working？　We　know　that；　after　a　time；　the　horse　associates　certain　words　with　certain　objects　that　interest　him　or　with　three　or　four　events　whose　infinite　repetition　forms　the　humble　tissue　of　his　daily　life。　This　is　only　a　sort　of　mechanical　memory　which　has　nothing　in　common　with　the　most　elementary　intelligence。　But　behold；　one　fine　day；　without　any　perceptible　transition；　he　seems　to　know　the　meaning　of　a　host　of　words　which　possess　no　interest　for　him；　which　represent　to　him　no　picture；　no　memory；　which　he　has　never　had　occasion　to　connect　with　any　sensation；　agreeable　or　disagreeable。　He　handles　figures；　which　even　to　man　are　nothing　but　obscure　and　abstract　ideas。　He　solves　problems　that　cannot　possibly　be　made　objective　or　concrete。　He　reproduces　letters　which；　from　his　point　of　view；　correspond　with　nothing　actual。　He　fixes　his　attention　and　makes　observations　on　things　or　circumstances　which　in　no　way　affect　him；　which　remain　and　always　will　remain　alien　and　indifferent　to　him。　In　a　word；　he　steps　out　of　the　narrow　ring　in　which　he　was　made　to　turn　by　hunger　and　fearwhich　have　been　described　as　the　two　great　moving　powers　of　all　that　is　not　humanto　enter　the　immense　circle　in　which　sensations　go　on　being　shed　till　ideas　come　into　view。

22

Is　it　possible　to　believe　that　the　horses　really　do　what　they　appear　to　do？　Is　there　no　precedent　for　the　marvel？　Is　there　no　transition　between　the　Elberfeld　stallions　and　the　horses　which　we　have　known　until　this　day？　It　is　not　easy　to　answer　these　questions；　for　it　is　only　since　yesterday　that　the　intellectual　powers　of　our　defenseless　brothers　have　been　subjected　to　strictly　scientific　experiments。　We　have；　it　is　true　more　than　one　collection　of　anecdotes　in　which　the　intelligence　of　animals　is　lauded　to　the　skies；　but　we　cannot　rely　upon　these　ill…authenticated　stories。　To　find　genuine　and　incontestable　instances　we　must　have　recourse　to　the　works；　rare　as　yet；　of　scientific　men　who　have　made　a　special　study　of　the　subject。　M。　Hachet…Souplet；　for　example；　the　director　of　the　Institut　de　Psychologie　Zoologique；　mentions　the　case　of　a　dog　who　learnt　to　acquire　an　abstract　idea　of　weight。　You　put　in　front　of　him　eight　rounded　and　polished　stones；　all　of　exactly　the　same　size　and　shape；　but　of　different　weights。　You　tell　him　to　fetch　the　heaviest　or　the　lightest；　he　judges　their　weight　by　lifting　them　and；　without　mistake；　picks　out　the　one　required。

The　same　writer　also　tells　the　story　of　a　parrot　to　whom　he　had　taught　the　word　〃cupboard〃　by　showing　him　a　little　box　that　could　be　hung　up　on　the　wall　at　different　heights　and　in　which　his　daily　allowance　of　food　was　always　ostentatiously　put　away；

〃I　next　taught　him　the　names　of　a　number　of　objects；〃　says　M。　Hachet…Souplet；　〃by　holding　them　out　to　him。　Among　them　was　a　ladder；　and　I　prevailed　upon　the　bird　to　say；　'Climb；'　each　time　that　he　saw　me　mount　the　steps。　One　morning；　when　the　parrot's　cage　was　brought　into　the　laboratory；　the　cupboard　was　hanging　near　the　ceiling；　while　the　little　ladder　was　stowed　away　in　a　corner　among　other　objects　familiar　to　the　bird。　Now　the　parrot；　every　day；　when　I　opened　the　cupboard；　used　to　scream；　'Cupboard！　Cupboard！　Cupboard！'　with　all　his　might。　My　problem　was；　therefore；　this：　seeing　that　the　cupboard　was　out　of　my　reach　and　that；　therefore；　I　could　not　take　his　food　out　of　it；　knowing；　on　the　other　hand；　that　I　was　able　to　raise　myself　above　the　level　of　the　floor　by　climbing　the　ladder；　and　having　the　words　'climb'　and　'ladder'　at　his　disposal：　would　he　employ　them　to　suggest　to　me　the　idea　of　using　them　in　order　to　reach　the　cupboard？　Greatly　excited；　the　parrot　flapped　his　wings；　bit　the　bars　of　his　cage；　and　screamed：

〃'Cupboard！　Cupboard！　Cupboard！'〃

〃And　I　got　no　more　out　of　him　that　day。　The　next　day；　the　bird；　having　received　nothing　but　millet；　for　which　he　did　not　much　care；　instead　of　the　hemp…seed　contained　in　the　cupboard；　was　in　paroxysms　of　anger；　and；　after　he　had　made　numberless　attempts　to　force　open　his　bars；　his　attention　was　at　last　caught　by　the　ladder　and　he　said：

〃'Ladder；　climb；　cupboard！'〃

We　have　here；　as　the　author　remarks；　a　marvellous　intellectual　effort。　There　is　an　evident　association　of　ideas；　cause　is　linked　with　effect；　and　examples　such　as　this　lesson　appreciably　the　distance　separating　our　learned　horses　from　their　less　celebrated　brethren。　We　must　admit；　however；　that　this　intellectual　effort；　if　we　observe；　animals　a　little　carefully；　is　much　less　uncommon　than　we　think。　It　surprises　us　in　this　case　because　a　special　and；　when　all　is　said；　purely　mechanical　arrangement　of　the　parrot's　organ　gives　him　a　human　voice。　At　every　moment；　I　find　in　my　own　dog　associations　of　ideas　no　less　evident　and　often　more　complex。　For　instance；　if　he　is　thirsty；　he　seeks　my　eyes　and　next　looks　at　the　tap　in　the　dressing…room；　thus　showing　that　he　very　plainly　connects　the　notions　of　thirst；　running　water　and　human　intervention。　When　I　dress　to　go　out；　he　evidently　watches　all　my　movements。　While　I　am　lacing　my　boots；　he　conscientiously　licks　my　hands；　in　order　that　my　divinity　may　be　good　to　him　and　especially　to　congratulate　me　on　my　capital　idea　of　going　out　for　a　constitutional。　It　is　a　sort　of　general　and　as　yet　vague　approval。　Boots　promise　an　excursion　out　of　doors；　that　is　to　say；　space；　fragrant　roads；　long　grass　full　of　surprises；　corners　scented　with　offal；　friendly　or　tragic　encounters　and　the　pursuit　of　wholly　illusory；　game。　But　the　fair　vision　is　still　in　anxious　suspense。　He　does　not　yet　know　if　he　is　going　with　me。　His　fate　is　now　being　decided；　and　his　eyes；　melting　with　anguish；　devour　my　mind。　If　I　buckle　on　my　leather　gaiters；　it　means　the　sudden　and　utter　extinction；　of　all　that　constitutes　the　joy　of　life。　They　leave　not　a　ray　of　hope。　They　herald　the　hateful；　lonely　motorcycle；　which　he　cannot　keep　up　with；　and　he　stretches　himself　sadly　in　a　dark　corner；　where　he　goes　back　to　the　gloomy　dreams　of　an　unoccupied；　forsaken　dog。　But；　when　I　slip　my　arms　into　the　sleeves　of　my　heavy　great…coat；　one　would　think　that　they　were　opening　the　gates　of　the　most　dazzling　paradise。　For　this　implies　the　car；　the　obvious；　indubitable　motor…car；　in　other　words；　the　radiant　summit　of　the　most　superlative　delight。　And　delirious　barks；　inordinate　bounds；　riotous；　embarrassing　demonstrations　of　affection　greet　a　happiness　which；　for　all　that；　is　but　an　immaterial　idea；　built　up　of　artless　memories　and　ingenuous　hopes。

23

I　mention　these　matters　only　because　they　are　quite　ordinary　and　because　there　is　nobody　who　has　not　made　a　thousand　similar　observations。　As　a　rule；　we　do　not　notice　that　these　humble　manifestations　represent　sentiments；　associations　of　ideas；　inferences；　deductions；　an　absolute　and　altogether　human　mental　effort。　They　lack　only　speech；　but　speech　is　merely　a　mechanical　accident　which　reveals　the　operations　of　thought　more　clearly　to　us。　We　are　amazed　that　Mohammed　or　Zarif　should　recognize　the　picture　of　a　horse；　a　donkey；　a　hat；　or　a　man　on　horseback；　or　that　they　should　spontaneously　report　to　their　master　the　little　events　that　happen　in　the　stable；　but　it　is　certain　that　our　own　dog　is　incessantly　performing　a　similar　work　and　that　his　eyes；　if　we　could　read　them；　would　tell　us　a　great　deal　more。　The　primary　miracle　of　Elberfeld　is　that　the　stallions　should　have　been　given　the　means　of　expressing　what　they　think　and　feel。　It　is　momentous；　but；　when　closely　looked　into；　it　is　not　incomprehensible。　Between　the　talking　horses　and　my　silent　dog　there　is　an　enormous　distance；　but　not　an　abyss。　I　am　saying　this　not　to　detract　from　the　nature　or　extent　of　the　prodigy；　but　to　c