The sun., 1880-04-04
PROF. porRIRK,s DREAM.


rfpafh fNsnoh " fASchponn- Gat|ar.
Inst Sunday afternoon, my maid servant
having gone out 10 vespers and the heat OF the
dar toward three O'Clock being overpowering. ]
fell asleep reading Darwin.
My window opened upon the Charterhouse
cHrden: the rustling OF tho leaves came vaguely
to my cars; a light breath OF air oaressed my
chooks. Suddenly. In q dream. / saw myself
transported to the banks OF tho Ganges, not far
from Benares.
was sitting in tho shade OF great tamarlnd
troe; the sacred river rolled soiore mo like a
lake. white with hGht. and upon it's banks an i'm
mense forest OF paIms. bananas, and o,her OK
otic plants spread itself. whose lances, para
sols. and fans mingled together as far az tho
ego could reach.
And while contemplated IN wonderment this
splondid landscape, aslieht noise 10 the leaves
over my head drew my attention. looked up
and saw. Guess what eaw!
l saw myself Nicholas Poirier. Professor OF
Philosophy at the College OF Saint Suzanne. In
the form OF chimpan7ee. hanging by one OF
my paws to tho lower branch OF tho tamarind
tree, and making faces at myself.
Judge OF my astonishmontl
'Cumprehending directly that my body had
dissevored itself from my soul and was capor-
ing about In the lonely forest. l was In oonster-
nation.
III II wanders Of into the depths Of the
wood" said to myself, II viii never return.
and shall remnin hero alone. with my meta
physics ard nothing else to console mo-"
The thought made me shudder. wanted to
summon my Not-Me to resume Immediately its
accustomed place. but tho fear OF Frightening 1t
modified my ideas. and with a conoiiutory tone
] s,id to 1t:
Come comei my dear Nicholas. consider. -.
Does that posture suit the dignity OF your char
acter2 Ought a professor OF philosophy 10
suspend himself from the branch OF treo3
IL it proper7 Come. my friend. come back TO
proprietyI"
t~o orthree erimacos and scratching his hams.
said TO me:
"Aht now. do you tske me for fool proud
and stupid spfrit2 I descend from my tree TO
scat mysslf again IN your old arm chair. aud
wear out my eyes in decpherinR silly storiesl
All YOU know me little II you reckon ON hat.
No. mol I am very well on my tree. and here
stay until the fancy takes me to get
down and munch afew almonds or treat myself
10 cocoanut. That's what suits me. You! do
what you liRe. discuss. dream. babble: that h
your affair. 1 have had enough OF it,"
At this impertinent answer had mind to
DO angry. but FOR the second time rejecting that
this would not be good way to bring back the
Not-Me. resolved to convince II by the force OF
logic. and in softensd accents cried:
81 comprehend. my dear Nicholas. the wish
Tor liberty which has taken possession OF you;
the desire to stretch yourself was natural
enough, after being thirty years at rest. But
this once Ia enough. You should listen TO rea-
bon, Come my friend, come,
49,, Hear me-" interrupted the chinpanzee.
For long time have known what you keep
in store for me that you distinguish between
yourself and me. who are your own body and
4net '9S f. s%syys
isiy yGnr % vanity You have told me 50 hpR an
Balne envelope You have said to me, You.
being buried ccremoniously. but /, spirit, i am
Sns p md indiSisiblo; T Il Is % immortal outside Of
space and time; time cannot affect it. You,
Eom were Td made mad to 90 eaten by worms Is 1t
could not deny it, my body having lived with
nnI. besides. | had taught the thing profession
ally in the lecture room, according to the pro-
fore dispute the fact. and tho chimpanzse see
ing me smbarrasssd. recommended making
an air OF triumph.
lost patience.
pm tired Of ali this talk. 1t is l who command.
the sprit; and matter ought TO obey"
the enoasa
10 beiieve yeu. But times are changed. Stay
4, .Ss ,nss an fSas gd skg
monkey to beautiiy my existence"
At this threat shudder OF horror seized m"
Well, then, yesl 1 have said what has been
repeated for six thousand years: 1t 10 clear that
ths body turns to dust, but that is not my fault;
st is a fact and every reasonable an nlmal IN ust
submit to positive material N, facts; What is tho
Bat me l,s spirit ovisibis. imOalDaole is neoessa-
''ty On heaptns this my ohlmpanzes burst into
endess roars OF laughter, ohatterinc his teeth
anu Tss ssa spirit issim mort.ll immor Hal ha!
hal that's ROOd lOkel immOrtalI'
He sisppea his thighs and wen. into ?, such 9sf
ffsmth troe, and began to cry out: . 80, m
Hook Yourself on. ANIMAL Hold yourself
n body. whist will becoine ofme ? How shall get
NO before my scholars and make them recognize
These reasons appeared to affect the apo, for
he was Interested IN his preseryation as much
as i. Then. having Gained himself. he con-
. You are immortal. and must disappear!
breu yorking together for the deyslopmept OF
this ]. both Of US. | have suffered. es well as
greatness. HAVEN'T we, had to rass day and
might digging into Latin. Greek. Hebrew. and
to. get your chair OF philosophy. And now I
must perish while yGu viii survive me- IL Nn
for ever and over Come. now. that is con-
trnry to common sense. Where would DO the b,
My spirit having no other answer 70 mGke
cried: 'Shut up."' But, directly, feeling, the
necBBBuy OF wneeullnV tuls buUtle dnltuhl Dy
Some sort Of reasoning. added:
Your phystoal suflarinGs wera nothing IN
foras Bao T we're
host OF pleasures suited to your nature.
mover refused You anything. As soon as my
mhans permitted put on you a fine brown suit
of clothes, patent leather shoes. according to
tho tnsto you have alwiys shown; waistcoats.
- fashionable cruvIts the lateat trousers wero not
lacking to you. for your vanity was MS create rs
mine. You had to have white linen, ornaments
to your watch chain things which / could have
.dono without. but for you. And your love of
good living-I never saw the like. Haven't we
;shouted mud sung and fsastod at the Prado. at
ths Chaumiere? How many Bausages with
-sOurorout. slices Of ham. and crawilsh haven't
you swallowed at the Straeburg Brewery. La
Hnrpo street? Have ever reproached you in
the least Even when my pockets were empty
and had to go on tick. did hestate2 i do not
spnak of the innumerable pnts OF beer which
have gone down your throat; they would make
thousands OF kegs II YOU would reckon them
up. And tho cigars. and the music. and the
thcatrs-and nll the rost."
NychimpanZse hail shut his eyes lmpatiently.
GDOIr' said no; never refused aDyth ing