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derangement was known to all those about him； obsessed by the desire and
thought of death； had gone quietly and obstinately to seek it in the nearest
coppice。 There was therefore no criminal in the case； in other words； there
was no possible or imaginable communication between the medium's
subconsciousness； and that of any living person。 Hence we are compelled
to admit that the communication was established with the dead man or
with his subconsciousness； which continued to live for nearly a month
after his death and to wander around the same places； or else we must
agree that all this coming tragedy； all that the old man was about to see； do
and suffer was already irrevocably contained and inscribed in the scarf at
the moment when he last wore it。
In this particular case； considering that all relations with the living
were definitely and undeniably severed； I can see no other explanations
beyond these two。 They are both equally astounding and land us suddenly
in a world of fable and enchantment which we thought that we had left for
good and all。 If we do not adopt the theory of the tell…tale scarf； we must
accept that of the spiritualists； who maintain that the spirits communicate
with us freely。 It is possible that they may find a serious argument in this
case。 But a solitary fact is not enough to support a theory； all the more so
as the one in question will never be absolutely safe from the objection that
could be raised if the case were one of murder； which is possible； after all；
and cannot be actually disproved。 We must； therefore； while awaiting other
similar and more decisive facts； if any such are conceivable； return to
those which are； so to speak； laboratory facts； facts which are only denied
by those who will not take the trouble to verify them； and to interpret these
facts there are only the two theories which we mentioned above； before
this digression； for； in these cases； which are unlike those of automatic
speech or writing； we have not as a rule to consider the possibility of any
intervention of the dead。 As a matter of fact； the best…known psychometers
are very rarely spiritualists and claim no connection with the spirits。 They
care but little； as a rule； about the source of their intuitions and seem very
little interested in their exact working and origin。 Now it would be
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exceedingly surprising if； acting and speaking in the name of the departed；
they should be so consistently ignorant of the existence of those who
inspire them； and more surprising still if the dead； whom in other
circumstances we see so jealously vindicating their identity； should not
here； when the occasion is so propitious； seek to declare themselves； to
manifest themselves and to make themselves known。
7
Dismissing for the time being the intervention of the dead； I believe
then that； in most of the cases which I will call laboratory cases； because
they can be reproduced at will； we are not necessarily reduced to the
theory of the vitalized object representing wholly； indefinitely and
inexhaustibly； through all the vicissitudes of time and spice； every one of
those who have held it in their hands for a little while。 For we must not
forget that； according to this theory； the object in question will conceal and；
through the intermediary of the medium； will reveal as many distinct and
complete personalities as it has undergone contacts。 It will never confuse
or mix those different personalities。 They will remain there in definite
strata； distinct one from another； and； as Dr。 Osty puts it； 〃the medium can
interpret each of them from beginning to end； as though he were in
communication with the far…off entity。〃
All this makes the theory somewhat incredible； even though it be not
much more so than the many other phenomena in which the shock of the
miraculous has been softened by familiarity。 We can find more or less
everywhere in nature that prodigious faculty of storing away inexhaustible
energies and ineffaceable tram； memories and impressions in space。 There
is not a thing in this world that is lost； that disappears； that ceases to be； to
retain and to propagate life。 Need we recall； in this connection； the
incessant mission of pictures perceived by the sensitized plate； the
vibrations of sound that accumulate in the disks of the gramophone； the
Hertzian waves that lose none of their strength in space； the mysteries of
reproduction and； in a word； the incomprehensibility of everything around
us？
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THE UNKNOWN GUEST
8
Personally； if I had to choose； I should； in most of these laboratory
cases； frankly adopt the theory that the object touched serves simply to
detect； among the prodigious crowd of human beings； the one who
impregnated it with his 〃fluid。〃
〃This object；〃 says Dr。 Osty； 〃has no other function than to allow the
medium's sensitiveness to distinguish a definite force from among the
innumerable forces that assail it。〃
It seem more and more certain that； as the cells of an immense
organism； we are connected with everything that exists by an inextricable
network of vibrations； waves； influences； of nameless； numberless and
uninterrupted fluids。 Nearly always； in nearly all men； everything carried
along by these invisible wires falls into the depths of the unconsciousness
and passes unperceived； which does not mean that it remains inactive。 But
sometimes an exceptional circumstancein the present case； the
marvellous sensibility of a first…class mediumsuddenly reveals to us； by
the vibrations and the undeniable action of one of those wires； the
existence of the infinite network。 I will not speak here of trails discovered
and followed in an almost mediumistic manner； after an object of some
sort has been sniffed at。 Such stories； though highly probable； as yet lack
adequate support。 But； within a similar order of ideas； and in