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"Starting, and looking half round, I saw the lion just in the act of springing upon me. I was upon a little height; he caught my shoulder as he sprang, and we both came to the ground below together. Growling horribly close to my ear, he shook me as a terrier dog does a rat. The shock produced a stupor similar to that which seems to be felt by a mouse after the first shake of the cat. It caused a sort of dreaminess, in which there was no sense of pain nor feeling of terror, though quite conscious of all that was happening. It was like what patients partially under the influence of chloroform describe, who see all the operation, but feel not the knife. This singular condition was not the result of any mental process. The shake annihilated fear, and allowed no sense of horror in looking round at the beast. This peculiar state is probably produced in all animals killed by the carnivora; and if so, is a merciful provision by our benevolent Creator for lessening the pain of death."
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David Livingstone, Missionary Travels, London, John Murray, 1857, p. 12
2 comentários:
Boa imagem - "...he shook me as a terrier dog does a rat.."
De facto interessante, apesar das boas intenções do simpático missionário, mas desde quando é que a cultura chã procura a verdade? Apesar de estar na primeira pessoa, o texto -- pela simples associação ao problema principal, como está bem de ver -- recordou-me o indizível atrevimento do Bataille ao confundir as expressões resultantes dos trabalhos de lingchi de um pobre chinês anónimo (em tudo se engana, até na identificação) com êxtases e delícias angélicas...
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