第10部分(第4/7 頁)

h　little　thickness　and　less

solidity……a　vast　solitude　of　soundless　space。　But　who　shall　put　into

words　limitless；　visionless；　silent　void？　One　should　be　a　disembodied

spirit　indeed　to　make　anything　out　of　such　insubstantial　experiences。　A

world；　or　a　dream　for　that　matter；　to　be　prehensible　to　us；　must；　I

should　think；　have　a　warp　of　substance　woven　into　the　woof　of　fantasy。

We　cannot　imagine　even　in　dreams　an　object　which　has　no　counterpart　in

reality。　Ghosts　always　resemble　somebody；　and　if　they　do　not　appear

themselves；　their　presence　is　indicated　by　circumstances　with　which　we

are　perfectly　familiar。

During　sleep　we　enter　a　strange；　mysterious　realm　which　science　has　thus

far　not　explored。　Beyond　the　border…line　of　slumber　the　investigator　may

not　pass　with　his　mon…sense　rule　and　test。　Sleep　with　softest　touch

locks　all　the　gates　of　our　physical　senses　and　lulls　to　rest　the

conscious　will……the　disciplinarian　of　our　waking　thoughts。　Then　the

spirit　wrenches　itself　free　from　the　sinewy　arms　of　reason　and　like　a

winged　courser　spurns　the　firm　green　earth　and　speeds　away　upon　wind

and　cloud；　leaving　neither　trace　nor　footprint　by　which　science　may

track　its　flight　and　bring　us　knowledge　of　the　distant；　shadowy　country

that　we　nightly　visit。　When　we　e　back　from　the　dream…realm；　we　can

give　no　reasonable　report　of　what　we　met　there。　But　once　across　the

border；　we　feel　at　home　as　if　we　had　always　lived　there　and　had　never

made　any　excursions　into　this　rational　daylight　world。

My　dreams　do　not　seem　to　differ　very　much　from　the　dreams　of　other

people。　Some　of　them　are　coherent　and　safely　hitched　to　an　event　or