the days of my life-第100章

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On　Friday；　the　15th；　I　was　going　into　Bungay　when　at　the　level　crossing　on　the　Bungay　road　I　was　hailed　by　two　plate…layers；　who　are　named　respectively　George　Arterton　and　Harry　Alger。　These　men　informed　me　that　the　dog　had　been　killed　by　a　train；　and　took　me　on　a　trolly　down　to　a　certain　open…work　bridge　which　crosses　the　water　between　Ditchingham　and　Bungay；　where　they　showed　me　evidence　of　its　death。　This　is　the　sum　of　their　evidence：
It　appears　that　about　7　o’clock　upon　the　Monday　morning；　very　shortly　after　the　first　train　had　passed；　in　the　course　of　his　duties　Harry　Alger　was　on　the　bridge；　where　he　found　a　dog’s　collar　torn　off　and　broken　by　the　engine　（since　produced　and　positively　identified　as　that　worn　by　Bob）；　coagulated　blood；　and　bits　of　flesh；　of　which　remnants　he　cleaned　the　rails。　On　search　also　I　personally　found　portions　of　black　hair　from　the　coat　of　a　dog。　On　the　Monday　afternoon　and　subsequently　his　mate　saw　the　body　of　the　dog　floating　in　the　water　beneath　the　bridge；　whence　it　drifted　down　to　the　weir；　it　having　risen　with　the　natural　expansion　of　gases；　such　as；　in　this　hot　weather；　might　be　expected　to　occur　within　about　forty　hours　of　death。　It　would　seem　that　the　animal　must　have　been　killed　by　an　excursion　train　that　left　Ditchingham　at　10。25　on　Saturday　night；　returning　empty　from　Harlestone　a　little　after　11。　This　was　the　last　train　which　ran　that　night。　No　trains　run　on　Sunday；　and　it　is　practically　certain　that　it　cannot　have　been　killed　on　the　Monday　morning；　for　then　the　blood　would　have　been　still　fluid。　Further；　if　it　was　living；　the　dog　would　almost　certainly　have　e　home　during　Sunday；　and　its　body　would　not　have　risen　so　quickly　from　the　bottom　of　the　river；　or　presented　the　appearance　it　did　on　Thursday　morning。　From　traces　left　upon　the　piers　of　the　bridge　it　appeared　that　the　animal　was　knocked　or　carried　along　some　yards　by　the　train　and　fell　into　the　brink　of　the　water　where　reeds　grow。　Here；　if　it　were　still　living　—　and；　although　the　veterinary　thinks　that　death　was　practically　instantaneous；　its　life　may　perhaps　have　lingered　for　a　few　minutes　—　it　must　have　suffocated　and　sunk；　undergoing；　I　imagine；　much　the　same　sensations　as　I　did　in　my　dream；　and　in　very　similar　surroundings　to　those　that　I　saw　therein　—　namely；　amongst　a　scrubby　growth　at　the　edge　of　water。
I　am　forced　to　conclude　that　the　dog　Bob；　between　whom　and　myself　there　existed　a　mutual　attachment；　either　at　the　moment　of　his　death；　if　his　existence　can　conceivably　have　been　prolonged　till　after　one　in　the　morning；　or；　as　seems　more　probable；　about　three　hours　after　that　event；　did　succeed　in　calling　my　attention　to　its　actual　or　recent　plight　by　placing　whatever　portion　of　my　being　is　capable　of　receiving　such　impulses　when　enchained　by　sleep；　into　its　own　terrible　position。
On　the　remarkable　issues　opened　up　by　this　occurrence　I　cannot　venture　to　speak　further　than　to　say　that　—　although　it　is　dangerous　to　generalise　from　a　particular　instance；　however　striking　and　well　supported　by　evidence；　which　is　so　rarely　obtainable　in　such　obscure　cases　—　it　does　seem　to　suggest　that　there　is　a　more　intimate　ghostly　connection　between　all　members　of　the　animal　world；　including　man；　than　has　hitherto　been　believed；　at　any　rate　by　Western　peoples；　that　they　may　be；　in　short；　all　of　them　different　manifestations　of　some　central；　informing　life；　though　inhabiting　the　universe　in　such　various　shapes。　The　matter；　however；　is　one　for　the　consideration　of　learned　people　who　have　made　a　study　of　these　mysterious　questions。　I　will　only　add　that　I　ask　you　to　publish　the　annexed　documents　with　this　letter；　as　they　constitute　the　written　testimony　at　present　available　to　the　accuracy　of　what　I　state。　Further；　I　may　say　that　I　shall　wele　any　investigation　by　petent　persons。
I　am；　your　obedient　servant；
H。　Rider　Haggard。
To　the　Editor　of　The　Times。
The　editor　of　the　Journal　of　the　Society　for　Psychical　Research　says：
This　case　is　one　of　very　unusual　interest　from　several　points　of　view。　It　is；　therefore；　specially　satisfactory　to　have　it　so　well　authenticated；　and　Mr。　Rider　Haggard　deserves　the　gratitude　of　psychical　researchers　for　having　collected　all　the　available　evidence　so　promptly　and　pletely　and　put　it　at　the　disposal　of　the　scientific　world。
This　experience　produced　a　great　effect　upon　me；　and　at　first　frightened　and　upset　me　somewhat；　for　without　doubt　it　has　a　very　uncanny　side。　By　degrees；　however；　I　came　to　see　that　it　also　has　its　lessons；　notably　one　lesson　—　that　of　the　kinship；　I　might　almost　say　the　oneness；　of　all　animal　life。　I　have　always　been　fond　of　every　kind　of　creature；　and　especially　of　dogs；　some　of　which　have　been　and　are　as　very　dear　friends　to　me。　But　up　to　this　date　I　had　also　been　a　sportsman。　Shooting　was　my　principal　recreation；　and　one　of　which　I　was；　and　indeed　still　am；　extremely　fond。　Greatly　did　I　love　a　high　pheasant；　at　which　sometimes　I　made　good　marksmanship。　But　now；　alas！　I　only　bring　them　down　in　imagination　with　an　umbrella　or　a　walking…stick。　From　that　day　forward；　except　noxious　insects　and　so　forth；　I　have　killed　nothing；　and；　although　I　should　not　hesitate　to　shoot　again　for　food　or　for　protection；　I　am　by　no　means　certain　that　the　act　would　not　make　me　feel　unwell。　Perhaps　illogically；　I　make　an　exception　in　favour　of　fishing；　and　I　daresay　that　if　salmon　came　my　way　I　might　once　more　throw　a　fly　for　them。　I　do　not　think　that　fish　feel　much；　also　I　always　remember　that；　if　He　did　not　fish　Himself；　our　Lord　was　frequently　present　while　others　did；　even　after　His　Resurrection；　further；　that　he　ate　of　the　results；　and　indeed　by　His　power　made　those　results　more　plentiful。　Lastly；　on　one　occasion　—　I　allude　to　the　case　of　the　coin　that　was　paid　for　poll…tax　—　this　fishing　was　not　carried　on　for　the　sake　of　food。
Again；　harmful　creatures　must　be　destroyed　since　man　must　live；　and　so　must　those　that　are　necessary　to　his　physical　sustenance；　such　as　sheep　and　cattle；　that　is；　until　he　bees　a　vegetarian；　as　perhaps　he　will　one　day　—　a　long　while　hence。　In　fact；　subsequent　to　this　date；　I　fell　into　great　trouble　and　was　held　up　to　the　readers　of　sundry　journals　as　a　cruel　brute　by　persons　who　call　themselves　“humanitarians”　because；　as　a　farmer；　I　advocated　an　organised　State　crusade　against　rats　and　sparrows；　which　（owing　largely　to　the　destruction　of　the　hawk　and　owl　tribes；　and　of　other　creatures　of　prey　in　the　interest　of　game　preservation）　work　such　incalculable　damage　in　this　country。　“Humanitarians”　evidently　do　not　earn　their　living　from　the　land。　If　they　did　they　might　take　a　different　view　of　sparrows。　It　is；　however；　cheap　to　be　pitiful　at　the　expense　of　others！
I　know　that　the　above　views　on　shooting　may　be　thought　a　hard　saying　by　many　who　greatly　enjoy　what　they　consider　a　harmless　and　a　healthful　sport。　But　really　it　is　not　so；　since　in　such　matters　every　man　must　act　according　to　his　own　heart。　If　his　conscience　is　not　afraid　of　a　thing；　let　him　do　it；　if　it　is　afraid；　let　him　leave　it　alone。　So　talks　St。　Paul　of　whatever　is　sold　in　the　shambles。　“To　him　that　esteemeth　anything　to　be　unclean；　it　is　unclean。”　“All　things　indeed　are　pure；　but　it　is　evil　for　that　man　who　eateth　with　offence。”　And　again；　“He　that　doubteth　is　condemned　if　he　eat　because　he　eateth　not　of　faith；”　which　I　take　it　is　another　way　of　saying　that　a　man　must　follow　the　light　that　is　lit　in　him。　Therefore；　although　I　no　longer　shoot　myself；　I　still　go　out　shooting　with　my　friends　who　are　happy　in　so　doing。　So　far　as　I　am　concerned；　however；　the　　result　of　it　all　is　that　“Othello’s　occupation’s　gone。”　I　have　now　no　recreation　left　save　that　of　the　garden　and　of　my　solitary　walks　about　the　farm；　which　lead；　perhaps；　to　too　much　thinking。
The　publication　of　this　“Bob”　correspondence　in　The　Times　and；　I　may　add；　everywhere　throughout　the　civilised　world；　brought　me　many　letters　of　which　the　general　tenor　went　to　prove　that　similar　examples　of　such　psychical　or　telepathic　munications　were　by　no　means　unknown；　though　none　of　these　were　quite　so　clear　as　that　which　I　have　set　out　above。　Nor　were　they　so　well　supported　by　evidence。　Moreover；　it　seemed　almost　certain　that　the　dog　Bob　muni