the unknown guest(陌生客)-第29章
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latter with his right foot and the former with his left。 He knew the meaning
of the symbols plus and minus。 Four days later； he was beginning
multiplication and division。 In four months' time； he knew how to extract
square and cubic roots； and； soon after； he learnt to spell and read by
means of the conventional alphabet devised by Krall。
This alphabet； at the first glance； seems rather complicated。 For that
matter； it is only a makeshift； but how could one find anything better？ The
unfortunate horse； who is almost voiceless； has only one way in which to
express himself： a clumsy hoof； which was not created to put thought into
words。 It became necessary； therefore； to contrive； as in table…turning； a
special alphabet； in which each letter is designated by a certain number of
blows struck by the right foot and the left。 Here is the copy handed to
visitors at Elberfeld to enable them to follow the horse's operations：
1 2 3 4 5 6 10 E N R S M C 20 A H L T A： CH 30 I D G W J SCH
40 O B F K O： 50 U V Z P U： 60 EI AU EU X Q
To mark the letter E； for instance； the stallion will strike one blow with
his left foot and one with his right； for the letter L； two blows with his left
foot and three with his right； and so on。 The horses have this alphabet so
deeply imprinted in their memory that； practically speaking； they never
make a mistake； and they strike their hoofs so quickly； one after the other；
that at first one has some difficulty in following them。
Mohammed and Zariffor Zarif's progress was almost equal to that of
his fellow…pupil； though he seems a little less gifted from the standpoint of
higher mathematics…Mohammed and Zarif in this way reproduce the
words spoken in their presence； spell the names of their visitors； reply to
questions put to them and sometimes make little observations； little
personal and spontaneous reflections to which we shall return presently。
They have created for their own use an inconceivably fantastic and
phonetic system of spelling which they stubbornly refuse to relinquish and
which often makes their writing rather difficult to read。 Deeming most of
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the vowels useless； they keep almost exclusively to the consonants； thus
Zucker； for instance； becomes Z K R； Pferd； P F R T； or F R T； and so on。
I will not set forth in detail the many different proofs of intelligence
lavished by the singular inhabitants of this strange stable。 They are not
only first…class calculators； for whom the most repellent fractions and
roots possess hardly any secrets： they distinguish sounds； colours； and
scents； read the time on the face of a watch； recognize certain geometrical
figures； likenesses and photographs。
Following on these more and more conclusive experiments and
especially after the publication of Krall's great work； Denkende Tiere； a
model of precision and arrangement； men's minds were faced with clear
and definite problem which； this time； could not be challenged。 Scientific
committees followed one another at Elberfeld； and their reports became
legion。 Learned men of every countryincluding Dr。 Edinger； the eminent
Frankfort neurologist； Professors Dr。 H。 Kraemer and H。 E。 Ziegler； of
Stuttgart； Dr。 Paul Saresin； of Bale； Professor Ostwald； of Berlin；
Professor A。 Beredka； of the Pasteur Institute； Dr。 E。 Clarapede； of the
university of Geneva； Professor Schoeller and Professor Gehrke； the
natural philosopher； of Berlin； Professor Goldstein； of Darmstadt；
Professor von Buttel…Reepen； of Oldenburg； Professor William Mackenzie；
of Genoa； Professor R。 Assagioli； of Florence； Dr。 Hartkopf； of Cologne；
Dr。 Freudenberg； of Brussels； Dr。 Ferrari； of Bologna； etc。； etc。； for the list
is lengthening dailycame to study on the spot the inexplicable
phenomenon which Dr。 Clarapede proclaims to be 〃the most sensational
event that has ever happened in the psychological world。〃
With the exception of two or three sceptics or convinced misoneists
and of those who made too short a stay at Elberfeld； all were unanimous in
recognizing that the facts were as stated and that the experiments were
conducted with absolute fairness。 Disagreement begins only when it
becomes a matter of commenting on them； interpreting them and
explaining them。
4
To complete this short preamble； it is right to add that； for some time
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past； the case of the Elberfeld horses no longer stands quite alone。 There
exists at Mannheim a dog of a rather doubtful breed who performs almost
the same feats as his equine rivals。 He is less advanced than they in
arithmetic； but does little additions； subtractions and multiplications of one
or two figures correctly。 He reads and writes by tapping with his paw； in
accordance with an alphabet which； it appears； he has thought out for
himself； and his spelling also is simplified and phoneticized to the utmost。
He distinguishes the colour in a bunch of flowers； counts the money in a
purse and separates the marks from the pfennigs。 He knows how to seek
and find words to define the object or the picture placed before him。 You
show him； for instance； a bouquet in a vase and ask him what it is。
〃A glass with little flowers；〃 he replies。
And his answers are often curiously spontaneous and original。 In the
course of a reading…exercise in which the word Herbst； autumn； chanced to
attract attention； Professor William Mackenzie asked him if he could
explain what autumn was。
〃It is the time when there are apples；〃 Rolf replied。
On the same occasion； the same professor； without knowing what it
represented； held out to him a card marked with red and blue squares：
〃What's this？〃
〃Blue； red； lots of cubes；〃 replied the dog。
Sometimes his repartees are not lacking in humour。
〃Is there anything you would like me to do for you？〃 a lady of his
acquaintance asked； one day。
And Master Rolf gravely answered：
〃Wedelen；〃 which means； 〃Wag your tail！〃
Rolf； whose fame is comparatively young； has not yet； like his
illustrious rivals of the Rhine Province； been the object of minute
enquiries and copious and innumerable reports。 But the incidents which I
have just mentioned and which are vouched for by such men as Professor
Mackenzie and M。 Duchatel； the learned and clear…sighted vice…president
of the Societe Universelle d'Etudes Psychiques；＇1＇ who went to Mannheim
for the express purpose of studying them； appear to be no more
controvertible than the Elbenfeld occurrences； of which they are a sort of
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replica or echo。 It is not unusual to find these coincidences amongst
abnormal phenomena。 The
