the unknown guest-第17章
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believe in them； it is no less natural that they should not proceed to speak or take notice of inanities of which they do not recognize the value until after they have lost the opportunity of supplying convincing proofs of them。 Also； do not forget that the little story in question is selected from among a hundred others； which in their turn are equally indecisive； but which； repeating the same facts and the same tendencies with a strange persistency； and by weakening the most inveterate distrust。＇1＇
＇1＇ See； in particular； Bozzano's cases xlix。 and lxvii。 These two； especially case xlix。； which tells of a personal experience of the late W。 T。 Stead； are supported by more substantial proofs。 I have quoted Professor Hyslop's case； because the reticence is more striking。
15
Having said this much； in order to conciliate or part company with those who have no intention of leaving the terra firma of science； let us return to the case before us； which is all the more disquieting inasmuch as we may consider it a sort of prototype of the tragic and almost diabolical reticence which we find in most premonitions。 It is probable that under the mattress there was a stray match which the child discovered and struck； this is the only possible explanation of the catastrophe； for there was no fire burning on that floor of the house。 If the mother had turned the mattress； she would have seen the match； and； on the other hand； she would certainly have turned the mattress if she had been told that there was a match underneath it。 Why did the voice that urged her to perform the necessary action not add the one word that was capable of ensuring that action？ The problem moreover is equally perturbing and perhaps equally insoluble whether it concerns our own subconscious faculties； or spirits； or strange intelligences。 Those who give these warnings must know that they will be useless； because they manifestly foresee the event as a whole； but they must also know that one last word； which they do not pronounce； would be enough to prevent the misfortune that is already consummated in their prevision。 They know it so well that they bring this word to the very edge of the abyss； hold it suspended there； almost let it fall and recapture it suddenly at the moment when its weight would have caused happiness and life to rise once more； to the surface of the mighty gulf。 What then is this mystery？ Is it incapacity or hostility？ If they are incapable； what is the unexpected and sovereign force that interposes between them and us？ And； if they are hostile； on what； on whom are they revenging themselves？ What can be the secret of those inhuman games； of those uncanny and cruel diversions on the most slippery and dangerous peaks of fate？ Why warn； if they know that the warning will be in vain？ Of whom are they making sport？ Is there really an inflexible fatality by virtue of which that which has to be accomplished is accomplished from all eternity？ But then why not respect silence； since all speech is useless？ Or do they； in spite of all； perceive a gleam； a crevice in the inexorable wall？ What hope do they find in it？ Have they not seen more clearly than ourselves that no deliverance can come through that crevice？ One could understand this fluttering and wavering； all these efforts of theirs； if they did not know； but here it is proved that they know everything； since they foretell exactly that which they might prevent。 If we press them with questions； they answer that there is nothing to be done； that no human power could avert or thwart the issue。 Are they mad； bored； irritable； or accessory to a hideous pleasantry？ Does our fate depend on the happy solution of some petty enigma or childish conundrum； even as our salvation； in most of the so…called revealed religious； is settled by a blind and stupid cast of the die？ Is all the liberty that we are granted reduced to the reading of a more or less ingenious riddle？ Can the great soul of the universe be the soul of a great baby？
16
But； rather than pursue this subject； let us be just and admit that there is perhaps no way out of the maze and that our reproaches are as incomprehensible as the conduct of the spirits。 Indeed； what would you have them do in the circle in which our logic imprisons them？ Either they foretell us a calamity which their predictions cannot avert； in which case there is no use in foretelling it； or； if they announce it to us and at the same time give us the means to prevent it； they do not really see the future and are foretelling nothing； since the calamity is not to take place； with the result that their action seems equally absurd in both cases。
It is obvious： to whichever side we turn； we find nothing but the incomprehensible。 On the one hand； the preestablished； unshakable； unalterable future which we have called destiny； fatality or what you will； which suppresses man's entire independence and liberty of action and which is the most inconceivable and the dreariest of mysteries； on the other； intelligences apparently superior to our own； since they know what we do not； which； while aware that their intervention is always useless and very often cruel； nevertheless come harassing us with their sinister and ridiculous predictions。 Must we resign ourselves once more to living with our eyes shut and our reason drowned in the boundless ocean of darkness； and is there no outlet？
17
For the moment we will not linger in the dark regions of fatality； which is the supreme mystery； the desolation of every effort and every thought of man。 What is clearest amid this incomprehensibility is that the spiritualistic theory； at first sight the most seductive； declares itself； on examination； the most difficult to justify。 We will also once more put aside the theosophical theory or any other which assumes a divine intention and which might； to a certain extent； explain the hesitations and anguish of the prophetic warnings； at the cost； however； of other puzzles； a thousand times as hard to solve； which nothing authorizes us to substitute for the actual puzzle； formless and infinite； presented to our uninitiated vision。
When all is said； it is perhaps only in the theory which attributes those premonitions to our subconsciousness that we are able to find； if not a justification； at least a sort of explanation of that formidable reticence。 They accord fairly well with the strange； inconsistent； whimsical and disconcerting character of the unknown entity within us that seems to live on nothing but nondescript fare borrowed from worlds to which nor intelligence as yet has no access。 It lives under our reason； in a sort of invisible and perhaps eternal palace； like a casual guest； dropped from another planet； whose interests； ideas； habits； passions have naught in common with ours。 If it seems to have notions on the hereafter that are infinitely wider and more precise than those which we possess； it has only very vague notions on the practical needs of our existence。 It ignores us for years； absorbed no doubt with the numberless relations which it maintains with all the mysteries of the universe； and； when suddenly it remembers us； thinking apparently to please us； it makes an enormous； miraculous； but at the same time clumsy and superfluous movement； which upsets all that we believed we knew； without teaching us anything。 Is it making fun of us； is it jesting； is it amusing itself； is it facetious； teasing； arch； or simply sleepy； bewildered； inconsistent； absent…minded？ In any case； it is rather remarkable that it evidently dislikes to make itself useful。 It readily performs the most glamorous feats of sleight…of…hand； provided that we can derive no profit from them。 It lifts up tables； moves the heaviest articles； produces flowers and hair； sets strings vibrating； gives life to inanimate objects and passes through solid matter； conjures up ghosts； subjugates time and space； creates light； but all； it seems； on one condition； that its performances should be without rhyme or reason and keep to the province of supernaturally vain and puerile recreations。 The case of the divining…rod is almost the only one in which it lends us any regular assistance； this being a sort of game； of no great im
