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！
Sight and hearing are then exercised in a manner far more perfect than
any we know of here； possibly without the help of the organs we now
employ； which are the scabbard of the luminous blades called sight and
hearing。 To a person in that state； distance and material obstacles do
not exist； or they can be traversed by a life within us for which our
body is a mere receptacle； a necessary shelter； a casing。 Terms fail
to describe effects that have lately been rediscovered； for to…day the
words imponderable； intangible； invisible have no meaning to the fluid
whose action is demonstrated by magnetism。 Light is ponderable by its
heat； which； by penetrating bodies； increases their volume； and
certainly electricity is only too tangible。 We have condemned things
themselves instead of blaming the imperfection of our instruments。〃
〃She sleeps；〃 said Minoret； examining the woman； who seemed to him to
belong to an inferior class。
〃Her body is for the time being in abeyance；〃 said the Swedenborgian。
〃Ignorant persons suppose that condition to be sleep。 But she will
prove to you that there is a spiritual universe； and that the mind
when there does not obey the laws of this material universe。 I will
send her wherever you wish to go；a hundred miles from here or to
China； as you will。 She will tell you what is happening there。〃
〃Send her to my house in Nemours； Rue des Bourgeois； that will do；〃
said Minoret。
He took Minoret's hand； which the doctor let him take； and held it for
a moment seeming to collect himself； then with his other hand he took
that of the woman sitting in the arm…chair and placed the hand of the
doctor in it； making a sign to the old sceptic to seat himself beside
this oracle without a tripod。 Minoret observed a slight tremor on the
absolutely calm features of the woman when their hands were thus
united by the Swedenborgian； but the action； though marvelous in its
effects； was very simply done。
〃Obey him；〃 said the unknown personage； extending his hand above the
head of the sleeping woman； who seemed to imbibe both light and life
from him； 〃and remember that what you do for him will please me。You
can now speak to her；〃 he added； addressing Minoret。
〃Go to Nemours； to my house； Rue des Bourgeois；〃 said the doctor。
〃Give her time； put your hand in hers until she proves to you by what
she tells you that she is where you wish her to be；〃 said Bouvard to
his old friend。
〃I see a river；〃 said the woman in a feeble voice； seeming to look
within herself with deep attention； notwithstanding her closed
eyelids。 〃I see a pretty garden〃
〃Why do you enter by the river and the garden？〃 said Minoret。
〃Because they are there。〃
〃Who？〃
〃The young girl and her nurse； whom you are thinking of。〃
〃What is the garden like？〃 said Minoret。
〃Entering by the steps which go down to the river； there is the right；
a long brick gallery； in which I see books； it ends in a singular
building；there are wooden bells； and a pattern of red eggs。 To the
left； the wall is covered with climbing plants； wild grapes； Virginia
jessamine。 In the middle is a sun…dial。 There are many plants in pots。
Your child is looking at the flowers。 She shows them to her nurseshe
is making holes in the earth with her trowel； and planting seeds。 The
nurse is raking the path。 The young girl is pure as an angel； but the
beginning of love is there； faint as the dawn〃
〃Love for whom？〃 asked the doctor； who； until now； would have listened
to no word said to him by somnambulists。 He considered it all
jugglery。
〃You know nothingthough you have lately been uneasy about her
health；〃 answered the woman。 〃Her heart has followed the dictates of
nature。〃
〃A woman of the people to talk like this！〃 cried the doctor。
〃In the state she is in all persons speak with extraordinary
perception；〃 said Bouvard。
〃But who is it that Ursula loves？〃
〃Ursula does not know that she loves；〃 said the woman with a shake of
the head； 〃she is too angelic to know what love is； but her mind is
occupied by him； she thinks of him； she tries to escape the thought；
but she returns to it in spite of her will to abstain。She is at the
piano〃
〃But who is he？〃
〃The son of a lady who lives opposite。〃
〃Madame de Portenduere？〃
〃Portenduere； did you say？〃 replied the sleeper。 〃Perhaps so。 But
there's no danger； he is not in the neighbourhood。〃
〃Have they spoken to each other？〃 asked the doctor。
〃Never。 They have looked at one another。 She thinks him charming。 He
is； in fact； a fine man； he has a good heart。 She sees him from her
window； they see each other in church。 But the young man no longer
thinks of her。〃
〃His name？〃
〃Ah！ to tell you that I must read it； or hear it。 He is named
Savinien； she has just spoken his name； she thinks it sweet to say；
she has looked in the almanac for his fete…day and marked a red dot
against it；child's play； that。 Ah！ she will love well； with as much
strength as purity； she is not a girl to love twice； love will so dye
her soul and fill it that she will reject all other sentiments。〃
〃Where do you see that？〃
〃In her。 She will know how to suffer； she inherits that； her father
and her mother suffered much。〃
The last words overcame the doctor； who felt less shaken than
surprised。 It is proper to state that between her sentences the woman
paused for several minutes； during which time her attention became
more and more concentrated。 She was seen to see； her forehead had a
singular aspect； an inward effort appeared there； it seemed to clear
or cloud by some mysterious power； the effects of which Minoret had
seen in dying persons at moments when they appeared to have the gift
of prophecy。 Several times she made gestures which resembled those of
Ursula。
〃Question her；〃 said the mysterious stranger； to Minoret； 〃she will
tell you secrets you alone can know。〃
〃Does Ursula love me？〃 asked Minoret。
〃Almost as much as she loves God；〃 was the answer。 〃But she is very
unhappy at your unbelief。 You do not believe in God； as if you could
prevent his existence！ His word fills the universe。 You are the cause
of her only sorrow。Hear！ she is playing scales； she longs to be a
better musician than she is； she is provoked with herself。 She is
thinking； 'If I could sing； if my voice were fine； it would reach his
ear when he is with his mother。'〃
Doctor Minoret took out his pocket…book and noted the hour。
〃Tell me what seeds she planted？〃
〃Mignonette； sweet…peas； balsams〃
〃And what else？〃
〃Larkspur。〃
〃Where is my money？〃
〃With your notary； but you invest it so as not to lose the interest of
a single day。〃
〃Yes； but where is the money that I keep for my monthly expenses？〃
〃You put it in a large book bound in red； entitled 'Pandects of
Justinian； Vol。 II。' between the last two leaves； the book is on the
shelf of folios above the glass buffet。 You have a whole row of them。
Your money is in the last volume next to the salon See！ Vol。 III。 is
before Vol。 II。but you have no money； it is all in〃
〃thousand…franc notes；〃 said the doctor。
〃I cannot see； they are folded。 No； there are two notes of five
hundred francs。〃
〃You see them？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃How do they look？〃
〃One is old and yellow； the other white and new。〃
This last phase of the inquiry petrified the doctor。 He looked at
Bouvard with a bewildered air； but Bouvard and the Swedenborgian； who
were accustomed to the amazement of sceptics； were speaking together
in a low voice and appeared not to notice him。 Minoret begged them to
allow him to return after dinner。 The old philosopher wished to
compose his mind and shake off this terror； so as to put this vast
power to some new test； to subject it to more decisive experiments and
obtain answers to certain questions； the truth of which should do away
with every sort of doubt。
〃Be here at nine o'clock this evening；〃 said the stranger。 〃I will
return to meet you。〃
Doctor Minoret was in so convulsed a state that he left the room
without bowing； followed by Bouvard； who called to him from behind。
〃Well； what do you say？ what do you say？〃
〃I think I am mad； Bouvard；〃 answered Minoret from the steps of the
porte…cochere。 〃If that woman tells the truth about Ursula；and none
but Ursula can know the things that sorceress has told me；I shall
say that YOU ARE RIGHT。 I wish I had wings to fly to Nemours this
minute and verify her words。 But I shall hire a carriage and start at
ten o'clock to…night。 Ah！ am I losing my senses？〃
〃What would you say if you knew of a life…long incurable disease
healed in a moment； if you saw that great magnetizer bring sweat in
torrents from an herpetic patient； or make a paralyzed woman walk？〃
〃Come and dine； Bouvard； stay with me till nine o'clock。 I must find
so