selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第11部分

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sky　by　night。

When　I　had　reached　the　summit。　I　said　to　the　monk　who　accompanied
me：　〃Father；　how　happy　you　must　be　here！〃　And　he　replied：　〃It　is
very　windy；　Monsieur〃；　and　so　we　began　to　talk　while　watching　the
rising　tide；　which　ran　over　the　sand　and　covered　it　with　a　steel
cuirass。

And　then　the　monk　told　me　stories；　all　the　old　stories　belonging
to　the　placelegends；　nothing　but　legends。

One　of　them　struck　me　forcibly。　The　country　people；　those
belonging　to　the　Mornet；　declare　that　at　night　one　can　hear
talking　going　on　in　the　sand；　and　also　that　two　goats　bleat；　one
with　a　strong；　the　other　with　a　weak　voice。　Incredulous　people
declare　that　it　is　nothing　but　the　screaming　of　the　sea　birds；
which　occasionally　resembles　bleatings；　and　occasionally　human
lamentations；　but　belated　fishermen　swear　that　they　have　met　an
old　shepherd；　whose　cloak　covered　head　they　can　never　see；
wandering　on　the　sand；　between　two　tides；　round　the　little　town
placed　so　far　out　of　the　world。　They　declare　he　is　guiding　and
walking　before　a　he…goat　with　a　man's　face　and　a　she…goat　with　a
woman's　face；　both　with　white　hair；　who　talk　incessantly；
quarreling　in　a　strange　language；　and　then　suddenly　cease　talking
in　order　to　bleat　with　all　their　might。

〃Do　you　believe　it？〃　I　asked　the　monk。　〃I　scarcely　know；〃　he
replied；　and　I　continued：　〃If　there　are　other　beings　besides
ourselves　on　this　earth；　how　comes　it　that　we　have　not　known　it
for　so　long　a　time；　or　why　have　you　not　seen　them？　How　is　it　that
I　have　not　seen　them？〃

He　replied：　〃Do　we　see　the　hundred…thousandth　part　of　what
exists？　Look　here；　there　is　the　wind；　which　is　the　strongest
force　in　nature。　It　knocks　down　men；　and　blows　down　buildings；
uproots　trees；　raises　the　sea　into　mountains　of　water；　destroys
cliffs　and　casts　great　ships　on　to　the　breakers；　it　kills；　it
whistles；　it　sighs；　it　roars。　But　have　you　ever　seen　it；　and　can
you　see　it？　Yet　it　exists　for　all　that。〃

I　was　silent　before　this　simple　reasoning。　That　man　was　a
philosopher；　or　perhaps　a　fool；　I　could　not　say　which　exactly；　so
I　held　my　tongue。　What　he　had　said　had　often　been　in　my　own
thoughts。

July　3。　I　have　slept　badly；　certainly　there　is　some　feverish
influence　here；　for　my　coachman　is　suffering　in　the　same　way　as　I
am。　When　I　went　back　home　yesterday；　I　noticed　his　singular
paleness；　and　I　asked　him：　〃What　is　the　matter　with　you；　Jean？〃

〃The　matter　is　that　I　never　get　any　rest；　and　my　nights　devour　my
days。　Since　your　departure；　Monsieur；　there　has　been　a　spell　over
me。〃

However；　the　other　servants　are　all　well；　but　I　am　very
frightened　of　having　another　attack；　myself。

July　4。　I　am　decidedly　taken　again；　for　my　old　nightmares　have
returned。　Last　night　I　felt　somebody　leaning　on　me　who　was
sucking　my　life　from　between　my　lips　with　his　mouth。　Yes；　he　was
sucking　it　out　of　my　neck　like　a　leech　would　have　done。　Then　he
got　up；　satiated；　and　I　woke　up；　so　beaten；　crushed；　and
annihilated　that　I　could　not　move。　If　this　continues　for　a　few
days；　I　shall　certainly　go　away　again。

July　5。　Have　I　lost　my　reason？　What　has　happened？　What　I　saw　last
night　is　so　strange　that　my　head　wanders　when　I　think　of　it！

As　I　do　now　every　evening；　I　had　locked　my　door；　then；　being
thirsty；　I　drank　half　a　glass　of　water；　and　I　accidentally
noticed　that　the　water…bottle　was　full　up　to　the　cut…glass
stopper。

Then　I　went　to　bed　and　fell　into　one　of　my　terrible　sleeps；　from
which　I　was　aroused　in　about　two　hours　by　a　still　more　terrible
shock。

Picture　to　yourself　a　sleeping　man　who　is　being　murdered；　who
wakes　up　with　a　knife　in　his　chest；　a　gurgling　in　his　throat；　is
covered　with　blood；　can　no　longer　breathe；　is　going　to　die　and
does　not　understand　anything　at　all　about　itthere　you　have　it。

Having　recovered　my　senses；　I　was　thirsty　again；　so　I　lighted　a
candle　and　went　to　the　table　on　which　my　water…bottle　was。　I
lifted　it　up　and　tilted　it　over　my　glass；　but　nothing　came　out。
It　was　empty！　It　was　completely　empty！　At　first　I　could　not
understand　it　at　all；　then　suddenly　I　was　seized　by　such　a
terrible　feeling　that　I　had　to　sit　down；　or　rather　fall　into　a
chair！　Then　I　sprang　up　with　a　bound　to　look　about　me；　then　I　sat
down　again；　overcome　by　astonishment　and　fear；　in　front　of　the
transparent　crystal　bottle！　I　looked　at　it　with　fixed　eyes；
trying　to　solve　the　puzzle；　and　my　hands　trembled！　Some　body　had
drunk　the　water；　but　who？　I？　I　without　any　doubt。　It　could　surely
only　be　I？　In　that　case　I　was　a　somnambulistwas　living；　without
knowing　it；　that　double；　mysterious　life　which　makes　us　doubt
whether　there　are　not　two　beings　in　uswhether　a　strange；
unknowable；　and　invisible　being　does　not；　during　our　moments　of
mental　and　physical　torpor；　animate　the　inert　body；　forcing　it　to
a　more　willing　obedience　than　it　yields　to　ourselves。

Oh！　Who　will　understand　my　horrible　agony？　Who　will　understand
the　emotion　of　a　man　sound　in　mind；　wide…awake；　full　of　sense；
who　looks　in　horror　at　the　disappearance　of　a　little　water　while
he　was　asleep；　through　the　glass　of　a　water…bottle！　And　I
remained　sitting　until　it　was　daylight；　without　venturing　to　go
to　bed　again。

July　6。　I　am　going　mad。　Again　all　the　contents　of　my　water…bottle
have　been　drunk　during　the　night；　or　rather　I　have　drunk　it！

But　is　it　I？　Is　it　I？　Who　could　it　be？　Who？　Oh！　God！　Am　I　going
mad？　Who　will　save　me？

July　10。　I　have　just　been　through　some　surprising　ordeals。
Undoubtedly　I　must　be　mad！　And　yet！

On　July　6；　before　going　to　bed；　I　put　some　wine；　milk；　water；
bread；　and　strawberries　on　my　table。　Somebody　drankI　drankall
the　water　and　a　little　of　the　milk；　but　neither　the　wine；　nor　the
bread；　nor　the　strawberries　were　touched。

On　the　seventh　of　July　I　renewed　the　same　experiment；　with　the
same　results；　and　on　July　8　I　left　out　the　water　and　the　milk　and
nothing　was　touched。

Lastly；　on　July　9　I　put　only　water　and　milk　on　my　table；　taking
care　to　wrap　up　the　bottles　in　white　muslin　and　to　tie　down　the
stoppers。　Then　I　rubbed　my　lips；　my　beard；　and　my　hands　with
pencil　lead；　and　went　to　bed。

Deep　slumber　seized　me；　soon　followed　by　a　terrible　awakening。　I
had　not　moved；　and　my　sheets　were　not　marked。　I　rushed　to　the
table。　The　muslin　round　the　bottles　remained　intact；　I　undid　the
string；　trembling　with　fear。　All　the　water　had　been　drunk；　and　so
had　the　milk！　Ah！　Great　God！　I　must　start　for　Paris　immediately。

July　12。　Paris。　I　must　have　lost　my　head　during　the　last　few
days！　I　must　be　the　plaything　of　my　enervated　imagination；　unless
I　am　really　a　somnambulist；　or　I　have　been　brought　under　the
power　of　one　of　those　influenceshypnotic　suggestion；　for
examplewhich　are　known　to　exist；　but　have　hitherto　been
inexplicable。　In　any　case；　my　mental　state　bordered　on　madness；
and　twenty…four　hours　of　Paris　sufficed　to　restore　me　to　my
equilibrium。

Yesterday　after　doing　some　business　and　paying　some　visits；　which
instilled　fresh　and　invigorating　mental　air　into　me；　I　wound　up
my　evening　at　the　Theatre　Francais。　A　drama　by　Alexander　Dumas
the　Younger　was　being　acted；　and　his　brilliant　and　powerful　play
completed　my　cure。　Certainly　solitude　is　dangerous　for　active
minds。　We　need　men　who　can　think　and　can　talk；　around　us。　When　we
are　alone　for　a　long　time；　we　people　space　with　phantoms。

I　returned　along　the　boulevards　to　my　hotel　in　excellent　spirits。
Amid　the　jostling　of　the　crowd　I　thought；　not　without　irony；　of
my　terrors　and　surmises　of　the　previous　week；　because　I　believed；
yes；　I　believed；　that　an　invisible　being　lived　beneath　my　roof。
How　weak　our　mind　is；　how　quickly　it　is　terrified　and　unbalanced
as　soon　as　we　are　confronted　with　a　small；　incomprehensible　fact。
Instead　of　dismissing　the　problem　with：　〃We　do　not　understand
because　we　cannot　find　the　cause；〃　we　immediately　imagine
terrible　mysteries　and　supernatural　powers。

July　14。　Fete　of　the　Republic。　I　walked　through　the　streets；　and
the　crackers　and　flags　amused　me　like　a　child。　Still；　it　is　very
foolish　to　make　merry　on　a　set　date；　by　Government　decree。　People
are　like　a　flock　of　sheep；　now　steadily　patient；　now　in　ferocious
revolt。　Say　to　it：　〃Amuse　yourself；〃　and　it　amuses　itself。　Say　to
it：　〃Go　and　fight　with　your　neighbor；〃　and　it　goes　and　fights。
Say　to　it：　〃Vote　for　the　Emperor；〃　and　it　votes　for　the　Emperor；
then　say　to　it：　〃Vote　for　the　Republic；〃　and　it　votes　for　the
Republic。

Those　who　direct　it　are　stupid；　too；　but　instead　of　obeying　men
they　obey　principles；　a　course　which　can　only　be　foolish；
ineffective；　and　false；　for　the　very　reason　that　principles　are
ideas　which　are　considered　as　certain　and　unchangeable；　whereas
in　this　world　one　is　certain　of　nothing；　since　light　is　an
illusion　and　noise　is　deception。

July　16。　I　saw　some　things　yesterday　that　troubled　me　very　much。　
I　was　dining　at　my　cousin's；　Madame　Sable；　whose　husband　is
colonel　of　the　Seventy…sixth　Chasseurs　at　Limoges。　There　were　two
young　women　there；　one　of　whom　had　married　a　medical　man；　Dr。
Parent；　who　devotes　himself　a　great　deal　to　nervous　diseases　and
to　the　extraordinary　manifestations　which　just　now　experiments　in
hypnotism　and　suggestion　are　producing。

He　related　to　us　at　some　length　the　enormous　results　obtained　by
English　scientists　and　the　doctors　of　the　medical　school　at
Nancy；　and　the　facts　which　he　adduced　appeared　to　me　so　strange；
that　I　declared　that　I　was　altogether　incredulous。

〃We　are；〃　he　declared；　〃on　the　point　of　discovering　one　of　the
most　important　secrets　of　nature；　I　mean　to　say；　one　of　its　most
important　secrets　on　this　earth；　for　assuredly　there　are　some　up
in　the　stars；　yonder；　of　a　different　kind　of　importance。　Ever
since　man　has　thought；　since　he　has　been　able　to　express　and
write　down　his　thoughts；　he　has　felt　himself　close　to　a　mystery
which　is　impenetrable　to　his　coarse　and　imperfect　senses；　and　he
endeavors　to　supplement　the　feeble　penetration　of　his　organs　by
the　efforts　of　his　intellect。　As　long　as　that　intellect　remained
in　its　elementary　stage；　this　intercourse　with　invisible　spirits
assumed　forms　which　were　commonplace　though　terrifying。　Thence
sprang　the　popular　belief　in　the　supernatural；　the　legends　of
wandering　spirits；