AN ADVENTURE

Northern Advocate, 7 March 1936, Page 11

AN ADVENTURE

By “ The Bookman

Two Ladies In France

MISS MOBERLY AND MISS JOURDAIN

IN ten years after the strange events which it describes, this unusual book was offered to the pub-

lief that in some mysterious way, by some unheard of variation of the normal experiences of life, they had seen happenings which had really transpired in one of the later years of the eighteenth century (almost certainly in 1789). Bit by bit, and, as said, with if anything meticulous care, they proved that the costumes, long forgotten as regards small details, were accurate to the period, that differences in the configuration of the grounds, in the more heavy wooding

lic, which received it according to the trend of mind of the constituent composing elements: some/with incredulity, surprise or scorn, others with a ready acceptance, envy for the experience, c or any one of a score of different ways of viewing the matter.

These two ladies were well known, of high scholastic attainments, and quite beyond any conceivable intention of hoodwinking or playing a jest upon the public. Whether they were equally immune from possibility of self-deception was at the time a matter of considerable discussion, for the book aroused a lively interest, having seen at least nine printings. Various scientific and more or less abstruse reasons for the phenomena have been proposed, but, for most persons, the main interest lies in the facts of the narrative itself.

of parts, in the presence of a waterfall, rivulet, grotto and bridge, all

Briefly, these two ladies, one a fluent French scholar, and both with a general, but admittedly in no way a special, acquaintance with the history of France, paid a visit, in August, 1901, to Versailles, and particularly to Trianon. Wifhin a short time both ladies committed their experience to writing.

In the grounds of Trianon they saw several persons, both male and female, so plainly that they never in the least questioned the fact of them being flesh and blood like themselves. To two or three they spoke and received replies at least two others addressed them with quite eager insistence or remonstrance as to the direction in which they were proceeding, bidding them take another route. Other persons also they saw, without however speaking to them, but with a notable clarity of recollection as to features and appearance. Without exception each was attired in dress, uniform or costume of a bygone age, yet which in the main escaped undue strangeness by seeming to be either an official garb or a somewhat local, if unusual, costume.

Regarding at least one of these persons, a lady in a dress which later was proved to be in the fashion of the morning attire affected by Marie Antoinette when she was enjoying unofficial quietude at Trianon, of. the two ladies who experienced this strange “adventure,”' only one saw her, though the other, who passed within touch of her, had an uncomfortable feeling of being in close proximity to someone unseen. The stranger was seated,, and apparently sketching, since she presently held out a sheet of paper at arm’s length, as though studying the effect of what she had been Working at. Of most of the other. characters both ladies were fully aware, and, at the time, never questioned that they were normal living beings similar to themselves.

It was noticeable to them that there was ah oppressive, airless condition of the atmosphere, and that even the trees had a stiff, flat, almost painted appearance, lacking all seeming of that ceaseless motion and rustle which renders them actually so unceasingly and realistically alive, however careless may be our appreciation of them j and however distracted we may be. Another strange thing noticed was that from time to time both ladies felt a strong conviction of persohs passing close beside them, but invisible, though it was broad daylight. They heard,- too, what seemed the rustle of dresses, and, once and again, the sound of running feet close to them. Unusual also was the fact that those they encountered appeared with startling and unexpected suddenness, and disappeared as rapidly; they did not in any instance seem to gradually approach from the distance or recede similarly; even when there was a length of unobstructed road or path within view there would be no one upon it at one moment, and, an instant or two later another glance would discover a man or woman, as the case might be, so near that surprise was immediate as' to how they arrived there.

much affected by Queen Marie Antoinette in her last years of freedom, had actually existed, just as they seemed to have seen them, until large changes had been effected by King Louis Philippe, more than half a century before the vish of these two ladies, which changes had swept away, among other things, rivulet, waterfall, grotto and bridge. They were able to prove, and this had long been forgotten, even by residents, that there had been a carriage-way between two buildings, which now constituted one continuous range; they had passed along that thoroughfare, despite that it now would mean that they must pass through solid brick and plaster. They moreover produced very satisfying evidence for the identity of the majority of the persons they had apparently seen or spoken to, not only those of historical importance, but even such individuals as are generally regarded as somewhat insignificant: gardeners, a peasant girl, perhaps even palace servitors.

Whatever one may think of this strange “adventure,” it does not lack in interest, nor is it easy to brush it aside any more than to explain it. It is told very simply, very plainly, very convincingly, and with each step, whether of experience, discovery or verification, clearly and lucidly following that which precedes, so that the extraordinary happenings' unfold before us most naturally.

From has been said the experience is already not a little surprising, but more is to follow. Visiting the same scenes some time later, these two ladies found themselves notably at fault, indeed they were unable to recognise many of the places previously explored. They thought at first that great alterations had been recently made, but enquiries only elicited surprised incomprehension. Some places were much changed, and some could not be discovered at all. It is scarcely to be wondered at that such an experience, in persons of trained minds, as these two ladies were, should arouse a strong desire to pursue the puzzle of the experience further, and this they proceeded to do. With much pains and perseverance, and over a number of years, as opportunity and leisure permitted, they traced down facts and evidence, a little here, a little somewhere else, in one place an old engraving, in another a map, enlightening paragraphs in old memoirs or modern books of research. Finally they were forced to the be-