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 importance； in which it appears to take pleasure。 Sometimes； to say all that can be said； it consents to cure certain ailments； cleanses an ulcer； closes a wound； heals a lung； strengthens or makes supple an arm or leg； or even sets bones； but always as it were by accident； without reason； method or object； in a deceitful； illogical and preposterous fashion。 One would set it down as a spoilt child that has been allowed to lay hands on the most tremendous secrets of heaven and earth； it has no suspicion of their power； jumbles them all up together and turns them into paltry； inoffensive toys。 It knows everything； perhaps； but is ignorant of the uses of its knowledge； It has its arms laden with treasures which it scatters in the wrong manner and at the wrong time； giving bread to the thirsty and water to the hungry； overloading those who refuse and stripping the suppliant bare； pursuing those who flee from it and fleeing from those who pursue it。 Lastly； even at its best moments； it behaves as though the fate of the being in whose depths it dwells interested it hardly at all； as though it had but an insignificant share in his misfortunes； feeling assured； one might almost think； of an independent and endless existence。
It is not surprising； therefore； when we know its habits； that its communications on the subject of the future should be as fantastic as the other manifestations of its knowledge or its power。 Let us add； to be quite fair； that； in those warnings which we would wish to see efficacious； it stumbles against the same difficulties as the spirits or other alien intelligences uselessly foretelling the event which they cannot prevent； or annihilating the event by the very fact of foretelling it。
18
And now； to end the question； is our unknown guest alone responsible？ Does it explain itself badly or do we not understand it？ When we look into the matter closely； there is； under those anomalous and confused manifestations； in spite of efforts which we feel to be enormous and persevering； a sort of incapacity for self expression and action which is bound to attract our attention。 Is our conscious and individual life separated by impenetrable worlds from our subconscious and probably universal life？ Does our unknown guest speak an unknown language and do the words which it speaks and which we think that we understand disclose its thought？ Is every direct road pitilessly barred and is there nothing left to it but narrow； dosed paths in which the best of what it had to reveal to us is lost？ Is this the reason why it seeks those odd； childish； roundabout ways of automatic writing； cross…correspondence； symbolic premonition and all the rest？ Yet； in the typical case which we have quoted； it seems to speak quite easily and plainly when it says to the mother：
〃Turn the mattress。〃
If it can utter this sentence； why should it find it difficult or impossible to add：
〃You will find the matches there that will set fire to the curtains。〃
What forbids it to do so and closes its mouth at the decisive moment？ We relapse into the everlasting question： if it cannot complete the second sentence because it would be destroying in the womb the very event which it is foretelling； why does it utter the first？
19
But it is well in spite of everything to seek an explanation of the inexplicable； it is by attacking it on every side； at all hazards； that we cherish the hope of overcoming it； and we may therefore say to ourselves that our subconsciousness； when it warns us of a calamity that is about to fall upon us； knowing all the future as it does； necessarily knows that the calamity is already accomplished。 As our conscious and unconscious lives blend in it； it distresses itself and flutters around our overconfident ignorance。 It tries to inform us； through nervousness； through pity； so as to mitigate the lightning cruelty of the blow。 It speaks all the words that can prepare us for its coming； define it and identify it； but it is unable to say those which would prevent it from coming； seeing that it has come； that it