Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-04
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
THE MAGIC STREET.
BY THEoPHILE GAUTIER

Theophile oautier. lsii-is72. was a French
poet, novelist and critic. Probably his best
known novel is "Mademoiselle de Maupin.'
Wearied of questioning with my
surgical knife on the tables of the dis
secting room poor dead bodies which
told me nothing and showed me only
death when was looking for life,
formed a plan-strange for doctor,
perhaps. and yet not so strange in one
In search of the magic secret of the
souls existence. / planned to surprise
and lay hold OF the soul itself!
planned to analyze and dissect. not the
body, but the soul.
cast away from me In disdain the
materialistic science of my colleagues.
tried by magnetism or hypnotism to
release the bonds which tie the soul
within the body, its mortal envelope.
Maxwell and the cleyerest of their fol-
lowers In discoveries which, however
wonderful these might be. we're not
SUFFICIENT to satisfy me. Catalepsy,
somnambulism. clairvoyance, ecstasy.
all the conditions and states which are
so inexplicable to the world at large, I
could produce at will, and to me they
were perfectly simple and ineligible
scared still higher. From the
frances of Cardan and st. Thomas
Aquinas ! went on to the nervous seiz-
ures Of the ancient prieStesses of the
oracles; discovered the secrets of the
Greek Epoptai and the Hebrew magi-
clans. I laid bare ancient mysteries,
recognizing in all the marvels which
men tell of them either a concentration
or expansion OF the soul. brought about
by gesture or look or word, or perhaps
by the will alone or some other secret
agent.
Even yet my scientific ideal was
not attained. for the soul still escaped
my grasp. I felt 1t. heard it. I had
even some control over 1t, for ! could
excite or benumb its faculties: but yet
between me and 1t there hung veil of
flesh which could not remove without
It's taking flight was like the bird
catcher who holds bird beneath a trap
which he fears TO uncover lest his VIC
tim dart away and be lost among the
clouds.
went on to India. hoping to find In
that land OF ancient learning the key
to the enigma. / learned Sanskrit and
Pakrit. the dialects of the learned and
the vulgar. could converse with the
pundits and the brahmins. traversed
the jungles where the tiger turks ready
for his spring. passed by the sacred
ponds from which peeped the backs OF
crocodiles. / forced my way through
forests which were well nigh impenetra-
BILE with their thick-growing creepers,
from whence issued crowds of bats and
monkeys.
I found myself one day face to face
with an elephant at the bend Of by
path which marked the way TO the nut
OF a famous yoghi In communication
with the Mounts, and seated myself by
the yoghi's side for several days. sharing
with him his gaZelle skin. that / might
take note of the vague incantations
which issued from hts lips. blackened
and cracked from his ecstasy. In this
way made myself master Of certain
all -powerful phrases, evocative formulas
and the syllables OF the creative word,
I studied the symbolical sculptures In
the inner chambers Of the pagodas.
which no profane eye had ever beheld.
and to which the robe Of brahmin en-
abled me to gain access. read deeply
the mysteries and legends OF departed
civilizations. I unfolded the meaning
OF the emblems which the squat hybrid
deities OF India hold In their multifold
! hands.
A priest of the temple OF Tirounama-
| Law. to whom I had impaired the idea
which was absorbing me. told me of q
penitent living In one OF the caves OF
| the isle of Elephants who had attained
to the highest degree OF sublimity. !