Observations placeholder

Supernormal faculties in Man- Dr Eugene Osty

During the autumn holidays of 1921, in the department of Cher, I was brought into relations with Mme Jean Peyroutet, a person endowed with the faculty of taking para-normal cognizance of individual lives, in (apparently) a waking state.

A fanciful handling of cards or looking at the forms created by the white of an egg poured into a glass of water, are the methods she prefers for arousing her faculty.

On September 8th, in the course of a sitting in which I was testing her powers, she told me that I should go to Paris and live there. I told her that this allowed of an easy and simple test, and asked her to describe my future apartments there. I had already decided to establish myself in Paris. It matters little whether Mme Jeanne P- knew this or not. What she could not know was that, after vain seeking for more than a year, I had, in June, 1921, the promise of a house in the Rue de Longchamp, occupied by an English lady, Mrs. W., whose lease had expired two years before, but which she was inhabiting till the end of the moratorium. In September, therefore, I was awaiting her vacation of the premises in January, 1922, and, tired of useless search, I held to this expectation.

In order to make the sequel fully intelligible, I should say that in July I had had an interview with Mrs. W. to discuss a temporary let of her house, furnished, while she went for six months to join her husband, who was an officer in the Indian Army.

With reference to the experiment, this was all that was in my thoughts on September 8th, 1921, taking "thought" in its accepted psychological meaning.

After having turned over a pack of cards, Mme J. P- answered.

" . . . you will not be leaving here at once, there is an obstacle. There will be a change of domicile soon, but not immediately, and this will be to your advantage, for there will be unexpected proposals.

You will not get the house you are expecting. Some one must leave, and that will not take place at once. . .

When next in Paris you will see something suitable, but not the house you are expecting. The lady there does not vacate it yet. Is she ill? . . . She wants to leave. . . she has to cross the sea to reach her destination; she ought to go . she will go, but not at once. But you will not get that house. . Change, but to another house. “

"Then describe the unexpected house."

" . . . (after efforts) I don't see it. We will try with white of egg on another day."

On September 13th we had another sitting. My mental content as on the 8th. Mme J. P- threw the raw white of an egg into a glass of water and looked hard into it. Then, in short phrases, with long intervals of silence, she said:

 "On your approaching visit to Paris you will be enlightened as to the house Some people will look out on your account. . You will get a letter asking you to go at once to see it. . . . A signature will be needed. The house will be taken forthwith. You will have a house with trees in front, like a small square or private garden. . . . I see a statue there. It is a detached house.

There are flowers round. . . . I see much ivy; there are two entrance-doors, the door does not open on the street, there is an iron gate first, the house is approached by a covered way. . . . you will not be far from water . . . nor from the Bois de Boulogne. . . .

I should like to give you the name of the street . . . (efforts to get this) . . . it won’t come. I can see only one letter, B; the name of the street begins with B. Before living in this house you will go to the seaside with a lady. . . “,

What came to pass.

on the afternoon of September 15th, I returned home and found a young lady, Mlle Fl-, lately come on a holiday, visiting us. The conversation in progress caused her to greet me with the words :

“We were, speaking of marriage, Doctor, and I was saying how difficult it is now to find a husband."

"Not so difficult," I said, " as to find a house in Paris.”

Such was the little incident which steered events to the complete realization of Mme P_,s prediction.

A conversation ensued, which informed Mlle Suzanne Fl- of my intention to take up my abode in Paris and the difficulty of finding a house. She spoke of the matter that evening to her uncle, a distinguished Parisian genealogist, who at once placed at my disposal his influence with agents.

He wrote to such of his relations as might be expected to help in the matter, but the answers received were all of the same kind- regrets, nothing now vacant, and none in prospect. M. Fl__ returned to Paris promising to keep in touch with the agents.

On October 8th, I received the following letter from him:

"DEAR DOCTOR,

"One of the agents I applied to indicates some premises in the Rue Boulainvillers, on the side of the Chaussee de la Muette, occupied by Mme D., living at Lorient.

Mme D. was thinking of living altogether in Paris, but has decided to remain at Lorient. A few days ago she applied to the agent to find her a tenant. This is to let you -know that the property is available. Apart from the question. whether that part of Paris will suit you, I think that this is the rara avis you will do well to snatch at.”

On the 9th I was in Paris, and went to see the house. It suited me, and I thought it better to close with that than to wait for the other. I at once notified my willingness to take over the lease.

Censorship.

All the indications given me on September 13th by Mme Jeanne P- were found correct. I put the predictions and - their verification in parallel columns.