第10部分(第3/7 頁)

usly；　but　yawns　at　the

breakfast…table　when　somebody　else　begins　to　tell　the　adventures　of　the

night　before。　I　hesitate；　therefore；　to　enter　upon　an　account　of　my

dreams；　for　it　is　a　literary　sin　to　bore　the　reader；　and　a　scientific

sin　to　report　the　facts　of　a　far　country　with　more　regard　to　point　and

brevity　than　to　plete　and　literal　truth。　The　psychologists　have

trained　a　pack　of　theories　and　facts　which　they　keep　in　leash；　like　so

many　bulldogs；　and　which　they　let　loose　upon　us　whenever　we　depart　from

the　straight　and　narrow　path　of　dream　probability。　One　may　not　even　tell

an　entertaining　dream　without　being　suspected　of　having　liberally　edited

it；……as　if　editing　were　one　of　the　seven　deadly　sins；　instead　of　a

useful　and　honourable　occupation！　Be　it　understood；　then；　that　I　am

discoursing　at　my　own　breakfast…table；　and　that　no　scientific　man　is

present　to　trip　the　autocrat。

I　used　to　wonder　why　scientific　men　and　others　were　always　asking　me

about　my　dreams。　But　I　am　not　surprised　now；　since　I　have　discovered

what　some　of　them　believe　to　be　the　ordinary　waking　experience　of　one

who　is　both　deaf　and　blind。　They　think　that　I　can　know　very　little　about

objects　even　a　few　feet　beyond　the　reach　of　my　arms。　Everything　outside

of　myself；　according　to　them；　is　a　hazy　blur。　Trees；　mountains；　cities；

the　ocean；　even　the　house　I　live　in　are　but　fairy　fabrications；　misty

unrealities。　Therefore　it　is　assumed　that　my　dreams　should　have　peculiar

interest　for　the　man　of　science。　In　some　undefined　way　it　is　expected

that　they　should　reveal　the　world　I　dwell　in　to　be　flat；　formless；

colourless；　without　perspective；　wit