“ The Horla ,” Dracula ’ s Older French Cousin
allegedly scientific manner , albeit in slightly different ways . In “ Le Horla ,” the narrator , feeling sick again , goes to Paris , and while having dinner with his cousin , Mme . Sablé , meets a physician who introduces him to the modern medical advances regarding hypnotism and suggestion . As the narrator and his cousin remain incredulous , the physician offers to hypnotize Mme . Sablé :
At the end of ten minutes she slept . “ Put yourself behind her ,” said the physician . And I seated myself behind her . In her hands he placed a visiting-card , saying : “ This is a mirror ; what do you see in it ?” She answered : I see my cousin ” “ What is he doing ?” “ He is twisting his mustache .” “ What now ?” “ He is taking a photograph out of his pocket .” “ A photograph of whom ?” “ Of himself .” It was true ! [ ... ] So then she saw in this card , in this white card , as well as she would have seen in a glass ! ( 22-23 )
The physician also plants in Mme . Sablé ’ s subconscious the need to go to see the narrator on the next day in order to ask for a sum of money that she does not need . After the experiment succeeds , the narrator concludes : “ The wise man says : ‘ It may be ’” ( 29 ). The original French text adds a question mark to the sentence (“ Le sage dit : peut-être ?) to better emphasize the uncertainty of sciences when it comes to fully understanding our environment .
In Dracula , hypnotism becomes the ally of the vampire hunters , as Mina , having been contaminated by the unclean blood of Dracula is able , when under hypnosis , to inform the search party regarding the monster ’ s whereabouts in order to guide their quest . Although the reality of hypnotism has
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