Versailles Time-Slip (Comments by Anna Emanuel)

Versailles Time Slip Comments (A reader's true experience) : This happened in 1974 when I had just come back from overseas and was boarding with friends.  I was 30 years old.  One of the owners of the house, a young man in his middle twenties, was a credible piano player and I loved to hear him play.

This particular morning we went into the room where he had a piano and I sat down with my siamese cat on my lap preparing to hear him play.  He did, and I slowly stroked the cat as I enjoyed the music.  I looked down at the cat and also glanced at my hand which had some diamond rings sparkling and winking on my finger.

Then suddenly..I was somewhere else..a sort-of shift of place and time..instantly!     I was instead sitting on a gilt chair, in a large, large hall - I somehow knew where I was.  I was in one of England's old stately homes; a country estate.  My fingers and arms and chest and throat were covered with sparkling large and beautiful diamonds.  I was basically in the same position as I was formerly, looking down at my  glittering hand  stroking a very large dog, sitting down beside me.  This was a huge dog - I don't know the breed, but like a Great Dane.  It was light gold in colour and it was my dog.  On my right was a HUGE fireplace or pale stone, very old and unadorned.  It was high enough for a tall man to walk inside it and not bow his head.  The fire was not lit.

Around me were  a small crowd of other people sitting on chairs, and we were listening to a man play a recital on a grand piano.  This was after dinner and many women were also glittering with jewels. These I knew were the set of friends we moved in.  We wore long dresses and I "feel" the time was the 1880's or there about, but not earlier.

Very strangely I remember no sound at all.the whole scene played out in utter silence.

A man was standing by the fireplace and also another dog was sitting down there in a relaxed position.  Who he was I do not know.

It was a relaxed atmosphere, rich and amiable, solid and secure and I was enjoying myself.  I  "knew" I was the wife in this important country house, totally at home and enjoying my position.  I would guess I was the same age as I was in real life.

Then..I was back in the real world.like someone had shifted the scene.instantly.  There was no fading,  just like a 'snap', and I was back.

The present time piano player was not aware of anything and I continued to sit there and listen until he finished with no further strange "visions".  The whole experience could not have taken more than a few seconds.

I had never experienced such a thing, was totally unprepared for it and quite shocked.  I did not tell anyone about it for years, and then I found that  no one was very interested anyway.  All I got were jokes about drinking too much, so I kept it to myself.

This was nearly thirty years ago and I still remember it most vividly.  In fact I can conjure up the scene if I close my eyes.  I have since tried to make sense of it.  To this end, (I am a Librarian) I read many books on strange experiences.  I have come to think it was what they call a "time-slip".  It really does feel like a "shift".

Since then I have had weaker experiences of the same nature - years apart.  Its like a "shift" is about to happen and then it does not, just a strange feeling. 

I feel quite relieved to write it down after all this time.