the unknown guest-第19章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ia。〃 But the interval between the moment when the peril is signalled and that at which it is consummated is too short for those questions which relate to a knowledge or a preexistence of the future to arise in this instance。
The case is almost the same with the adventure of an American dentist； very carefully investigated by Dr。 Hodgson。 The dentist was bending over a bench on which was a little copper in which he was vulcanizing some rubber； when he heard a voice calling； in a quick and imperative manner； these words：
〃Run to the window； quick！ Run to the window； quick！〃
He at once ran to the window and looked out to the street below； when suddenly he heard a tremendous report and； looking round； saw that the copper had exploded； destroying a great part of the workroom。＇1＇
＇1＇ Proceedings； vol。 xi。； p。 424。
Here again； a subconscious cautiousness was probably amused by certain indications imperceptible to our ordinary senses。 It is even possible that there exists between things and ourselves a sort of sympathy or subliminal communion which makes us experience the trials and emotions of matter that has reached the limits of its existence； unless； as is more likely； there is merely a simple coincidence between the chance idea of a possible explosion and its realization。
A last and rather more complicated case is that of Jean Dupre； the sculptor； who was driving alone with his wife along a mountain road； skirting a perpendicular cliff。 Suddenly they both heard a voice that seemed to come from the mountain crying：
〃Stop！〃
They turned round； saw nobody and continued their road。 But the cries were repeated again and again； without anything to reveal the presence of a human being amid the solitude。 At last the sculptor alighted and saw that the left wheel of the carriage； which was grazing the edge of the precipice； had lost its linch…pin and was on the point of leaving the axle…tree； which would almost inevitably have hurled the carriage into the abyss。
Need we； even here； relinquish the theory of subconscious perceptions？ Do we know and can the author of the anecdote； whose good faith is not in question； tell us that certain unperceived circumstances； such as the grating of the wheel or the swaying of the carriage； did not give him the first alarm？ After all； we know how easily stories of this kind involuntarily take a dramatic turn even at the actual moment and especially afterwards。
21
These examplesand there are many more of a similar kindare enough； I think； to illustrate this class of premonitions。 The problem in these cases is simpler than when it relates to fruitless warnings； at least it is simpler so long as we do not bring into discussion the question of spirits； of unknown intelligences； or of an actual knowledge of the future； otherwise the same difficulty reappears and the warning； which this time seems efficacious； is in reality just as vain。 In fact； the mysterious entity which knows that the traveler will go to the water's edge； that the wheel will be on the point of leaving the axle； that the copper will explode； or that the promontory will fall at a precise moment； must at the same time know that the traveler will not take the last fatal step； that the carriage will not be overturned； that the copper will not hurt anybody and that the canoe will pull away from the promontory。 It is inadmissible that； seeing one thing； it will not see the other； since everything happens at the same point； in the course of the same second。 Can we say that； if it had not given warning； the little saving movement would not have been executed？ How can we imagine a future which； at one and the same time； has parts that are steadfast and others that are not？ If it is foreseen that the promontory will fall and that the traveler will escape； thanks to the supernatural warning； it is necessarily foreseen that the warning will be given； and； if so； what is the point of this futile comedy？ I see no reasonable explanation of it in the spiritist or spiritualistic theory； which postulates a complete knowledge of the future； at least at a settled point and moment。 On the other hand； if we adhere to the theory of a subliminal consciousness； we find there an explanation which is quite worthy of acceptation。 This subliminal consciousness； though； in the majority of cases； it has no clear and comprehensive vision of the immediate future； can nevertheless possess an intuition of imminent danger； thanks to indications that escape our ordinary perception。 It can also have a partial； intermittent and so to speak flickering vision of the future event and； if doubtful； can risk giving an incoherent warning； which； for that matter； will change nothing in that which already is。
22
In conclusion； let us state once more that fruitful premonitions necessarily annihilate events in the bud and consequently work their own destruction； so that any control becomes impossible。 They would have an existence only if they prophesied a general event which the subject would not escape but for the warning。 If they had said to any one intending to go to Messina two or three months before the catastrophe； 〃Don't go； for the town will be destroyed before the month is out；〃 we should have an excellent example。 But it is a remarkable thing that genuine premonitions of this kind are very rare and nearly always rather indefinite in regard to events of a general order。 In M。 Bozzano's excellent collection； which is a sort of compendium of Premonitory phenomena； the only pretty clear cases are nos。 cli； and clviii。； both of which are taken from the Journal of the S。P。R。 In the first；＇1＇ a mother sent a servant to bring home her little daughter； who had already left the house with the intention of going through the 〃railway garden；〃 a strip of ground between the se。 wall and the railway embankment； in order to sit on the great stone； by the seaside and see the trains pass by。 A few minutes after the little girl's departure； the mother had distinctly and repeatedly heard a voice within her say：
〃Send for her back； or something dreadful will happen to her。〃
＇1＇ Journal； vol。 viii。； p。 45。
Now； soon after； a train ran off the line and the engine and tender fell； breaking through the protecting wall and crashing down on the very stones where the child was accustomed to sit。
In the other case；＇1＇ into which Professor W。 F。 Barrett made a special enquiry； Captain MacGowan was in Brooklyn with his two boys； then on their holidays。 He promised the boys that he would take them to the theatre and booked seats on the previous day； but on the day of the proposed visit he heard a voice within him constantly saying：
〃Do not go to the theatre； take the boys back to school。〃
＇1＇ Ibid。； vol。 i。； p。 283。
He hesitated； gave up his plan and resumed it again。 But the words kept repeating themselves and impressing themselves upon him； and； in the end； he definitely decided not to go； much to the two boys' disgust。 That night the theatre was destroyed by fire； with a loss of three hundred lives。
We may add to this the prevision of the Battle of Borodino； to which I have already alluded； I will give the story in fuller detail； as told in the journal of Stephen Grellet the Quaker。
About three months before the French army entered Russia； the wife of General Toutschkoff dreamt that she was at an inn in a town unknown to her and that her father came into her room； holding her only son by the hand； and said to her； in a pitiful tone：
〃Your happiness is at an end。 He〃meaning Countess Toutschkoff's husband〃has fallen。 He has fallen at Borodino。〃
The dream was repeated a second and a third time。 Her anguish of mind was such that she woke her husband and asked him：
〃Where is Borodino？〃 They looked for the name on the map and did not find it。
Before the French armies reached Moscow； Count Toutschkoff was placed at the head of the army of reserve； and one morning her father； holding her son by the hand； entered her room at the inn where she was staying。 In great distress； as she had beheld him in her dream； he cried out：
〃He has fallen。 He has fallen at Borodino。〃
Then she saw herself in the very same room and through the windows behel
