Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 7
UnderhypnotismColoneldeRochassentheradventuringbackthroughheradolescence,hergirlhood,herchildhood,breast-infancy,andthesilentdarkofhermother’swomb,and,stillback,throughthesilenceandthedarkofthetimewhenshe,Josephine,wasnotyetborn,tothelightandlifeofapreviousliving,whenshehadbeenachurlish,suspicious,andembitteredoldman,bynameJean-ClaudeBourdon,whohadservedhistimeintheSeventhArtilleryatBesançon,andwhodiedattheageofseventy,longbedridden.Yes,anddidnotColoneldeRochasinturnhypnotizethisshadeofJean-ClaudeBourdon,sothatheadventuredfartherbackintotime,throughinfancyandbirthandthedarkoftheunborn,untilhefoundagainlightandlifewhen,asawickedoldwoman,hehadbeenPhilomèneCarteron?
ButtryasIwouldwithmybrightbitofstrawintheoozementoflightintosolitary,Ifailedtoachieveanysuchdefinitenessofpreviouspersonality.Ibecameconvinced,throughthefailureofmyexperiments,thatonlythroughdeathcouldIclearlyandcoherentlyresurrectthememoriesofmypreviousselves.
Butthetidesofliferanstronginme.I,DarrellStanding,wassostronglydisinclinedtodiethatIrefusedtoletWardenAthertonandCaptainJamiekillme.
