Part 3 (1/2)
VIII
THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PROCESS--REGRESSION
In venturing to attey of the dream processes, I have undertaken a difficult task, to which, indeed, my power of description is hardly equal To reproduce in description by a succession of words the si so to appear unbiassed throughout the exposition, goes fairly beyond my powers I have now to atone for the fact that I have been unable in y to follow the historic development of my views The view-points for h earlier investigations in the psychology of the neuroses, to which I am not supposed to refer here, but to which I am repeatedly forced to refer, whereas I should prefer to proceed in the opposite direction, and, starting froy of the neuroses I a for the reader from this difficulty, but I know of no way to avoid them
As I alad to dwell upon another view-point which seems to raise the value of my efforts As has been shown in the introduction to the first chapter, I found myself confronted with a theme which had been marked by the sharpest contradictions on the part of the authorities After our elaboration of the dream problems we found room for most of these contradictions We have been forced, however, to take decided exception to two of the views pronounced, viz that the dream is a senseless and that it is a somatic process; apart from these cases we have had to accept all the contradictory views in one place or another of the coument, and we have been able to de that was correct That the drea state has been quite generally confirhts of the dreas that seem important and of momentous interest to us The dream never occupies itself with trifles But we have also concurred with the contrary view, viz, that the dreaathers up the indifferent remnants from the day, and that not until it has in so activity can an important event of the day be taken up by the dreaives the dreaurement We have said that from the nature of the association mechanism the dream process more easily takes possession of recent or indifferentmental activity; and by reason of the censor it transfers the psychic intensity froreeable to the indifferent material The hypermnesia of the dream and the resort to infantile material have become main supports in our theory In our theory of the drea from the infantile the part of an indispensable motor for the for the experinificance of the objective sensory stiht this ht re activity There was no need of disputing the fact that the dream interprets the objective sensory stimuli after the manner of an illusion; but we have supplied the motive for this interpretation which has been left undecided by the authorities The interpretation follows in such a manner that the perceived object is rendered harmless as a sleep disturber and becoh we do not admit as special sources of the dreaans during sleep, which seems to have been demonstrated by Trumbull Ladd, we are nevertheless able to explain this exciteressive revival of active memories behind the dreaned to the inner organic sensations which are wont to be taken as the cardinal point in the explanation of the drea, or inhibition--stand as an ever ready material to be used by the dreaht as often as need arises
That the dream process is a rapid and h consciousness of the already prepared drea parts of the drea course We have solved the riddle of the superabundant drea that this is due to the appropriation of almost fully forured and distorted by memory we found to be correct, but not troublesome, as this is only the last ure of the drealy irreconcilable controversy as to whether the psychic life sleeps at night or canthe day, we have been able to agree with both sides, though not fully with either We have found proof that the dreahts represent aalmost every means furnished by the psychic apparatus; still it cannot be denied that these drea the day, and it is indispensable to assu state of the psychic life Thus, even the theory of partial sleep has co state have been found not in the dilapidation of the psychic connections but in the cessation of the psychic syste from its desire to sleep The withdrawal fronificance also for our conception; though not the only factor, it nevertheless helps the regression to make possible the representation of the dreauidance of the presentation course is uncontestable; but the psychic life does not thereby become aimless, for we have seen that after the abandonain the mastery The loose associative connection in the dreanized, but we have placed under its control a far greater territory than could have been supposed; we have, however, found it ned substitute for another correct and senseful one To be sure we, too, have called the dream absurd; but we have been able to learn from examples hoise the dream really is when it simulates absurdity We do not deny any of the functions that have been attributed to the dream That the drea to Robert's assertion, all kinds of harh representation in the dream, not only exactly coincides with our theory of the twofold wish-fulfill, becomes even more coence of the psychic in the play of its faculties finds expression saying so before
”Why? Wahn't she honest? Wahn't she capable? Wahn't she a lady?”
”I can't say that I know anything against Miss Wetherell's character, if that's what you mean”
”F-fit to teach--wahn't she--fit to teach?”
”I believe she has since qualified before Mr Errol”
”Fit to teach--wahn't fit to ton clutched the table and started froer, and yet he knew that he must control hi to sell, and I have so to buy--if the price is not ruinous Let us confine ourselves to that My affairs and ain, how much do you want for this Consolidation Bill?”
”N-no money will buy it”
”What!”
”C-consent to this e” There was yet rooton to be amazed, and for a while he stared up at Jethro, speechless
”Is that your price?” he asked at last
”Th-that's ot up and went to theand stood looking out above the black ainst the star- flecked sky At first his anger choked hih reason left not to walk out of the door But presently habit asserted itself in hian to reflect and calculate in spite of his anger It is strange that memory plays so small a part in such a man Before he allowed his ht of his aratified; and yet he did not think then of the woman to whom he had once confided those airl'sof her
It ton wondered at this revelation of the character of Jethro Bass, for it was a revelation For this girl's sake Jethro illing to forego his revenge, illing at the end of his days to allow the world to believe that he had sold out to his enemy, or that he had been defeated by hiton ground his teeth A certain senti in him that he felt ready to make almost any sacrifice to prevent it To hinder it he had quarrelled with his son, and driven him away, and threatened disinheritance The price was indeed heavy--the heaviest he could pay But the alternative--was not that heavier? To relinquish his dream of power, to sink for a while into a crippled state; for he had spent large sums, and one of those periodical depressions had come in the business of the ht now
So, with his hands opening and closing in front of hiht out his battle A terrible war, that, between ambition and pride --a war to the knife The issue may yet have been undecided when he turned round to Jethro with a sneer which he could not resist
”Why doesn't she ton knew he had gone too far A certain kind of an eye is an incomparable weapon, and arh otherwise defenceless Jethro Bass had that kind of an eye
”G-guess you wouldn't understand if I was to tell you,” he said
Mr Worthington walked to theagain, perhaps to coain
”Your proposition is,” be said at length, ”that if I give overnor, and the Consolidation Bill will become a law Is that it?”
”Th-that's it,” said Jethro, taking his accustoiven when the bill becoton took another turn as far as the door, and suddenly came and stood before Jethro
”Well, I consent”
Jethro nodded toward the table
”Er--pen and paper there,” he said
”What do you want ton
”W-write to Bob--write to Cynthy Nice letters”
”This is carrying h a hand, Mr Bass I rite the letters to-” It was intolerable that he, the first citizen of Brampton, should have to submit to such humiliation
”Write 'eive you my word they will be written and sent to you to-morrow afternoon?”
”T-too late,” said Jethro; ”sit down and write 'eton went irresolutely to the table, stood for a minute, and dropped suddenly into the chair there He would have given anything (except the realization of his ambitions) to have marched out of the room and to have slammed the door behind hiht stood in a little pile, and Mr Worthington picked up the pen The clock struck two as he wrote the date, as though to re If Flint could see hiuess? He stared at the white paper, and his rage caust of wind, and he felt that he would rather beg in the streets than write such a thing And yet--and yet he sat there Surely Jethro Bass must have known that he could have taken no eance than this, to compel a man--and such a man-- to sit down in the white heat of passion--and write two letters of forgiveness! Jethro sat by the , to all appearances oblivious to the tortures of his victim
He who has tried to write a note--the simplest note when hisof Isaac Worthington's sensations He would no sooner get an inkling of what his opening sentence was to be than the flaer would rise and sweep it away He could not even decide which letter he was to write first: to his son, who had defied him and who (the father knew in his heart) condemned him? or to the schoolteacher, as responsible for all his e of his son's youth by feain possession of hi myself to pity the first citizen of Brampton as he sits there with his pen poised over the paper, and his eneiveness which he has yet to write The clock has alain, and there is only the date--and a wrong one at that
”My dear Miss Wetherell,--Circuht he not to call her Cynthia? He has to make the letter credible in the eyes of the censor who sits by the”My dear Miss Wetherell, I have come to the conclusion”--two sheets torn up, or thrust into Mr Worthington's pocket By this tiun to have a colorless look ”My dear Miss Wetherell,--Having become convinced of the sincere attachht to give iven me to understand that you have hitherto persistently refused to accept him because I have withheld that consent, and I take this opportunity of expressing my admiration of this praiseworthy resolution on your part” (If this be irony, it is subliton has a little of the artist in hiotten the circu) ”My son's happiness and career in life are of such ive arded as a youthful fancy Now that, my son, for your sake, has shown his determination and ability to ton was not a little proud of this) ”I have determined that it is wise to withdraw my opposition, and to recall Robert to his proper place, which is near s in this matter will be clear to you, and that you will look with indulgence upon any acts offrom a natural solicitation for the welfare and happiness of my only child I shall be in Braiveon you Sincerely yours, Isaac D Worthington”
Perhaps a little formal and pompous for some people, but an admirable and conciliatory letter for the first citizen of Bra circumstances, with I know not how many erasures and false starts, it is little short of a marvel in art: neither tooparent of Mr Worthington's character, and I doubt whether Talleyrand or Napoleon or even Machiavelli himself could have surpassed it The second letter, now that Mr Worthington had got into the swing, was more easily written ”My dear Robert” (it said), ”I have e to Miss Wetherell, and I am ready to welcome you home, where I trust I shall see you shortly I have not been unione to work for yourself, but I believe that your place is in Bra to succeed me in the business which I have founded there as you have exhibited in Mr Broke's works Affectionately, your Father”
A very creditable and handsoton had finished it, and had addressed both the envelopes, his shame and vexation had, curious to relate, very considerably abated Not to go too deeply into the somewhat contradictory ton, he had so his pen into thinking that he was doing a noble and generous action: into believing that in the course of a very few days--or weeks, at the iven Cynthia his blessing He would, he told hion of inflexibility, Bob, dictated terms to hienerosity be on his (Mr Worthington's) side At all events, victory had never been bought ton's eyes, had an element of publicity in it, and this episode had had none of that elehwayical ain his habitual poise and dignity Next week, at the latest, est railroad interests in the state
He pushed back his chair, and rose,the result of his labors by a wave of his hand And he stood in theas Jethro Bass got up and went to the table I would that I had a pen able to describe Jethro's sensations when he read them Unfortunately, he is a man with few facial expressions But I believe that he was artist enough himself to appreciate the perfections of the first citizen's efforts After a er interval than was necessary for their perusal, Mr Worthington turned
”G-guess they'll do,” said Jethro, as he folded thee, for once, in a little well-deserved praise ”Hain't underdone it, and hain't overdone it a mite hev you? M-man of resource Callate you couldn't hev beat that if you was to take a week to it”
”I think it only fair to tell you,” said Mr Worthington, picking up his silk hat, ”that in those letters I have merely anticipated a very littleproved his earnestness, I was about to consent to the oin' to do it anyas you?”