the unknown guest(陌生客)-第31部分
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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
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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
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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 call attention to the fact
that the theory of animal intelligence is more justifiable and less fanciful
than one is at first inclined to think。
24
But the second and greater miracle is that man should have been able
to rouse the horse from his immemorial sleep； to fix and direct his
attention and to interest him in matters that are more foreign and
indifferent to him than the variations of temperature in Sirius or Aldebaran
are to us。 It really seems； when we consider our preconceived ideas； that
there is not in the animal an organic and insurmountable inability to do
what man's brain does； a total and irremediable absence of intellectual
faculties； but rather a profound lethargy and torpor of those faculties。 It
lives in a sort of undisturbed stolidity； of nebulous slumber。 As Dr。
Ochorowicz very justly remarks； 〃its waking state is very near akin to the
state of a man walking in his sleep。〃 Having no notion of space or time； it
spends its life； one may say； in a perpetual dream。 It does what is strictly
necessary to keep itself alive； and all the rest passes over it and does not
penetrate at all into its hermetically closed imaginings。 Exceptional
circumstancessome extraordinary need； wish； passion or shockare
required to produce what M。 Hachet…Souplet calls 〃the psychic flash〃
which suddenly thaws and galvanizes its brain； placing it for a minute in
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the waking state in which the human brain works normally。 Nor is this
surprising。 It does not need that awakening in order to exist； and we know
that nature never makes great superfluous efforts。。 〃The intellect；〃 as
Professor Clarapede well says； 〃appears only as a makeshift； an instrument
which betrays that the organism is not adapted to its environment； a mode
of expression which reveals a state of impotence。〃
It is probable that our brain at first suffered from the same lethargy； a
condition； for that matter； from which many men have not yet emerged；
and it is even more probable that； compared with other modes of existence；
with other psychic phenomena； on another plane and in another sphere； the
dense sleep in which we move is similar to that in which the lower animals
have their being。 It also is traversed； with increasing frequency； by psychic
flashes of a different order and a different scope。 Seeing； on the one side；
the intellectual movement that seems to be spreading among our lesser
brothers and； on the other； the ever more constantly repeated
manifestations of our subconsciousness； we might even ask ourselves if
we have not here； on two different planes； a tension； a parallel pressure； a
new desire； a new attempt of the mysterious spiritual force which animates
the universe and which seems to be incessantly seeking fresh outlets and
fresh conducting rods。 Be this as it may； when the flash has passed； we
behave very much as the animals do： we promptly lapse into the
indifferent sleep which suffices also for our miserable ways。 We ask no
more of it； we do not follow the luminous trail that summons us to an
unknown world； we go on turning in our dismal circle； like contented
sleep…walkers； while Isis' sistrum rattles without respite to rouse the
faithful。
25
I repeat； the great miracle of Elberfeld is that of having been able to
prolong and reproduce at will those isolated 〃psychic flashes。〃 The horses；
in comparison with the other animals； are here in the state of a man whose
subliminal consciousness had gained the upper hand。 That man would lead
a higher existence； in an almost immaterial atmosphere； of which the
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phenomena of metaphysics； sparks falling from a region which we shall
perhaps one day reach； sometimes give us an uncertain and fleeting
glimpse。 Our intelligence； which is really lethargy and which keeps us
imprisoned in a little hollow of space and time； would there be replaced by
intuition； or rather by a sort of imminent knowledge which would
forthwith make us sharers in all that is known to a universe which perhaps
knows all things。 Unfortunately； we have not； or at least； unlike the horses；
we are not acquainted with a superior being who interests himself in us
and helps us to throw off our torpor。 We have to become our own god； to
rise above ourselves
