Ball of Suet: Selected Short Stories by Maupassant

Chapter 20 Orla (2)
July 7th - everything was as I expected, the previous symptoms reappeared in me.I started having that nightmare again.Last night, I felt like someone was lying on top of me, putting its mouth firmly on mine, and sucking the life out of me.He sucked the life out of my throat, he acted like a vampire, yes, that's it.When he was satisfied, he left my body.After I woke up, I felt exhausted all over my body, I didn't even have any strength, and I could hardly move.In the next few days, if this situation continues to happen, I will have no choice but to leave home again.

July 7—Have I lost my mind?When I recall what happened last night, what I saw, I feel terrified, it was so strange.

Last night I locked the door, it's one of the things I do every night.Because I was thirsty, I drank another half glass of water.The glass bottle used to hold the water was full, and the surface of the water was directly under the glass stopper, which I discovered by accident.

As soon as I climbed into bed, I fell asleep in a horrible state of sleep.I was awakened about two hours later by a shock even more terrifying than my sleep.

You might as well use your imagination: Someone suddenly woke up from a deep sleep and saw a knife stuck in his chest. It turned out that someone came to assassinate him while he was sleeping.He didn't understand what was going on at all, he just saw that he was bleeding a lot, he just felt that he had difficulty breathing, and it seemed that he was dying.I was in this state at the time.

Finally, I finally regained my sanity.I felt thirsty again, so I lit a candle and walked over to a table where a carafe of water stood.I picked up the glass bottle and wanted to pour water into the cup, but I never thought that a drop of water would not come out. —The glass bottle is empty!No doubt!I was still confused at first, but suddenly, I felt very scared. Rather than saying that I sat on the chair, it would be better to say that I collapsed on the chair all at once.Then, I jumped up from the chair again and looked around.Then, I sat back to my original position, looking at the transparent and empty glass bottle, both surprised and scared in my heart.I really wanted to know what was going on, so I watched it intently.My hands are shaking!According to the situation, who has already drunk the water in this bottle?What is the origin of that person?Could it be me?It's most likely me!Who else but me!So I suffer from somnambulism, I live two intangible lives, it seems to be split into two people, in other words, an invisible person I don't know, will come to me during the time I fall into a deep sleep. , turning my body into its puppet, it has completely controlled my body, more easily than I can control myself.And for all this, I was completely unaware.

what!My worry scares me so much, but who can understand me?Who can understand my feelings?A normal person looks at a glass bottle of water when he is conscious, and his heart is full of panic. During the time he sleeps, the water in the bottle has disappeared into nothing!I didn't have the courage to go back to bed again, so I stayed there until the next morning.

July 7th - I'm really going crazy.Last night, my water was run out again, and that person was either someone else—or myself at all.

Is it me?is it really me?Who is it?who is it?God, I'm really going crazy!Who can come and save me?

July 7th - I have just performed an experiment that will astonish anyone who knows what it is.I'm pretty sure I'm crazy!But where does this matter begin?
On July 7th, before going to bed, I put wine, milk, water, bread and strawberries on the table.

In the end, the wine, the bread, and the strawberries remained untouched, and someone—me—drank all the water and part of the milk.

On July 7, I did another experiment and got exactly the same result as last time.

On July 7, when I was doing the experiment, I removed both the water and the milk.This time, the things on the table were not touched at all.

On July 7, I filled two glass bottles with water and milk, and wrapped the two bottles tightly with a white cloth, and even tied the glass bottle caps firmly with a rope.Before going to bed, I applied another layer of graphite on my lips, beard and both hands.

As soon as I got into bed, I fell asleep involuntarily.It wasn't long before I woke up with a start because I felt the same pain again.I can't find any sign on the bed that I've moved, I haven't moved at all.I ran to the table and saw that the white cloth wrapped around the glass bottle was exactly the same as before I went to bed.In the process of untying the rope, I felt very panic all the time.The water is gone!The milk has also disappeared!what!Oh, God! ...

In a few moments, I'm leaving for Paris.

July 7th—I arrived in Paris.I must be confused, and have been for the last few days.Either my neurotic fantasies are playing tricks on me, or I'm actually sleepwalking, or I'm being influenced by something called hypnotic suggestion, although there's no exact scientific basis for this stuff yet, But it does exist in the world.In short, I've been so frightened lately that I'm going crazy.Now I'm calm and I've only been in Paris 12 hours.

Yesterday, a breath of fresh air filled my heart as I was out shopping and looking around.A play by Alexandre Dumas is playing at the Théâtre de France, and I went to see it at dusk yesterday.It was a drama with sharp themes and strong emotions, and I gradually recovered in the process of watching it.Loneliness is clearly dangerous for a brain that is always at work.Someone has to be with us, either to think or to talk.If we are always in a state of loneliness, then our inner world will be empty, and ghosts will take advantage of it.

On the way back to the hotel, I felt very happy.At that time, I was walking on a wide avenue, passing people from time to time.At this time, I remembered that last week I was convinced that an invisible person was always watching me, which is why I was frightened and dreamy.Thinking back on this now, I feel that I was a little naive and ridiculous at that time.It is just a trivial matter that cannot be explained, but it can also make us panic, not knowing what to do. This shows how fragile our souls are!
"Because I haven't found out the reason, I can't understand this matter." Although this conclusion is simple, most people can't figure it out.Some kind of terrifying mystery and supernatural energy will immediately appear in people's minds, but they don't know that this is just our delusion.

July 7th - National Day.I walk on the street.I feel very happy, because I saw the firecrackers and the national flag, which is really childish.This incident is actually very stupid. Why do people have to spend this day happily in accordance with the government's regulations?Sometimes the masses are foolish enough to endure whatever happens; but at other times they are so brave that they are ready to rebel.What a bunch of hooligans they were.Whether you make them happy or send them to battle, whether you tell them to vote for the Emperor or the Republic, they will do what you tell them to do.

The leaders of the masses are equally stupid, except that these people follow what is called a principle, not the instructions of others.The so-called principles must be inseparable from falsehood, bigness, and emptiness.As a thought, principle is synonymous with truth and eternity in the eyes of the world.But does truth really exist in the world?Aren't the light and sound we perceive are illusions?
July 7th - I feel very disturbed because I saw something yesterday.

Mrs. Chable is my cousin, and I dined with her yesterday.Mr. Chable was a commanding officer with the 76th Light Armored Regiment at Limoges.At my cousin's house, I met two young ladies, one of whom was a doctor's wife, and her husband was named Parang.Mental illness, hypnosis, hypnotic suggestion and other experiments leading to abnormal results are the objects of Dr. Pahrump's research.

Relevant experts from the UK and the Nancy School have obtained rich research results in these aspects, and Dr. Parang will tell us the specific content of these results.He also gave practical examples, though I said I wasn't convinced because the examples he gave were so outlandish.

Dr. Pahrump said: "Obviously, there are other great natural secrets on other planets besides the earth. However, what I want to say here is only one great natural secret on the earth, and we are working on it right now. Discover it. Human beings have been aware of the secrets around them a long time ago. At that time, human beings just had the ability to think and express the results of their thinking in words and words. But human beings could not understand these The nature of secrets, because human senses are too rough and there are too many deficiencies. In order to make up for this sensory defect, people began to turn to their own wisdom. At first, human wisdom remained in its original state, and people The worship of supernatural powers, as well as the legends of ghosts, fairies, dwarfs, and spirits all originated in this period, because people at that time always expressed a kind of pure fear when they worried about some unseen phenomena. All Religion’s definition of the Creator is unremarkable. This is really the most stupid and unacceptable definition. In fact, this definition was fabricated by people in this period after being frightened. Next, the definition about the Creator Legends also appeared. Voltaire said: "God created human beings in his own image, and humans also created God in his own image." This sentence is really good.

"However, people seem to have a new premonition in the past century or so, and some new things will be discovered again. Under the guidance of Mesmart and others, we have embarked on a new and unexpected path. Great way. We’ve gotten a lot out of it, especially in the last four or five years, it’s been amazing.”

The cousin smiled, she did not believe what he said.Dr. Parron said to his cousin, "May I try to help you fall asleep, ma'am?"

"Okay, just give it a try."

The cousin sat down in an easy chair, and Dr. Parron began to hypnotize her.When he looked at her intently, I suddenly felt my heart beat faster, my mouth was dry, and I felt very uncomfortable.My cousin, Mrs. Chable, closed her eyes and pursed her lips, and her chest rose and fell.This scene all fell into my eyes.

She fell asleep 10 minutes later.

"Go behind her, please," Dr. Pahrump said to me.

I sat behind her.Dr. Pahrun put a business card in her hands and said to her, "This is a mirror. Look at this mirror and tell me who is in it?"

She replied, "It's my cousin."

"what is he doing?"

"He's pinching his beard."

"What is he doing now?"

"He was taking the picture out of his pocket."

"Whose photo is it?"

"himself."

Completely correct!That same night, the photo was just delivered to the hotel where I was staying.

"What does he look like in the picture?"

"He's standing there with his hat."

It all goes to show that this white paper business card is like a mirror to her.

All the young ladies in the room were saying, "Okay! That's it! That's enough!" They were all terrified.

Dr. Parron gave his last instructions to his cousin. He said: "Get up at eight o'clock tomorrow morning, and go to the hotel to find your cousin. Since your husband will need five thousand francs when he comes home next time, you will have to pay him 8 francs. Your cousin borrowed the money."

After Dr. Pahrun finished speaking, he woke up his cousin.

On the way back to the hotel, I was bewildered as what had just happened was replaying in my mind.I have known my cousin since I was a child, she is just like my sister, and I know she is a very reliable person, so I have no doubts about her.However, I suspect that Dr. Pahrang is playing tricks.Could it be that when he showed the business card to his cousin who was under hypnosis, he also showed her a mirror, which he had hidden in his hand early in the morning?It would not be unusual for such a strange thing to be done by magicians who make a living doing magic.

After returning to the hotel, I went to bed.

It was almost 8:[-] when I was woken up by the servant this morning.The servant said to me: "Mrs. Sable is here, and she wants to see Monsieur right away."

I dressed quickly and went out to meet her.

She sat down with her eyes downcast, looking rather disturbed.She said to me, "Dear cousin, please do me one thing, but it's a very important thing." She didn't even bother to take off the veil that covered her face.

"What's the matter, cousin?"

"That's all I can say about it now, though it's hard for me to tell. I need five thousand francs, and it's a matter of urgency."

"You need money urgently? Stop kidding."

"This is not a joke. I really need money, oh, it is my husband who really needs money. These five thousand francs are what I have prepared at his request."

I was so taken aback that I couldn't even speak smoothly.I had this idea in my mind: Could it be that she is really an accomplice of Dr. Parron? The two of them joined forces to tease me. Everything that happened last night and this morning was just a joke. When they actually performed on stage, did each of them perform like real people?

However, all my doubts disappeared immediately, because I took a closer look at my cousin. Her body was shaking, her voice was suffocated, and she looked anxious and distressed.

I knew that her family was well off, so I said to her, "What! Your husband can't even take out five thousand francs! Think about it carefully, did he really ask you to borrow five thousand francs from me? Are you sure? ?”

She seemed to be trying to recall something, and after a moment of hesitation, she answered me, "Yes... yes... I'm sure."

"Did he write to you?"

She pondered, falling into a state of hesitation again.Her thoughts must be in a mess at the moment, I can guess.Now she has to help her husband borrow five thousand francs from me, and for this she can even invent a lie to deceive me. This is the only thing she knows now, and she doesn't know anything else.

"You are right. He did write to me."

"When did his letter arrive? Why didn't you hear about it yesterday?"

"His letter was just delivered to me this morning."

"May I read this letter?"

"Can't...oh...you can't...he just wrote some private affairs between husband and wife...that's all...I've...burned it."

"You mean, your husband owes someone money?"

She hesitated and murmured: "I don't know either."

Suddenly, I cried out: "I can't afford the five thousand francs, my dear cousin."

She groaned softly, looking very uncomfortable.

"Ah! ah! I implore you, I implore you to help me this time..."

She clasped her hands as if praying to me.The order from last night was irresistible to her, and she could only let it be at its mercy.She was so agitated that her voice changed into a different tone.She was so agitated that she was sobbing and tears were streaming from her eyes.

"Ah! Ah! I beg you...I'm sick right now, if you can understand how I feel right now...I need this money, I need it today."

Her behavior made me unbearable.

"I swear, I'll lend you the money, you just have to wait a little longer."

She exclaimed, "Ah! Thank you! Thank you so much! You are a very nice fellow."

I asked her, "Do you still have any memory of what happened at your house yesterday?"

"I have an impression."

"Doctor Parang hypnotized you, do you still have any memory of this?"

"I have an impression."

"You came this morning to borrow the five thousand francs he gave you. You are doing what he ordered you to do."

She was lost in thought, and after a few seconds she said to me, "My husband told me to do this."

I tried to persuade her to believe what I said, but I tried to persuade her for an hour without any success.

After sending off my cousin, I will visit Dr. Parron immediately.When I arrived at his house, he was about to go out.Dr. Pahrump kept smiling while listening to me tell the story.After I finished speaking, he asked me, "Now do you believe me?"

"I have no choice but to believe."

"Let's go find your cousin together."

When she arrived at her cousin's house, she was lying on a bench dozing off, looking extremely tired.Dr. Pahrump took her pulse first, then stared at her for a while.Later, Dr. Parang stretched out a hand in front of her eyes, and under the action of the powerful magnetic force that the human body could not resist, the cousin's eyes slowly closed.

When she fell asleep, Dr. Parron said to her: "Your husband doesn't need the five thousand francs any more. You must forget about your borrowing money from your cousin. You don't know anything about it. Even if he It doesn't make any sense to you to mention it proactively."

After saying these words, he woke her up.I took my wallet out of my pocket and said to her, "Dear cousin, you borrowed money from me this morning, and here is the money you asked for."

She looked astonished as hell, so I didn't insist, but I didn't give up trying to help her get her memory back.She thought I was joking with her. At first, she insisted on it and refused to admit it, but then she almost got angry at me.

……

(End of this chapter)