“No:  what is it?” said Marie.

“It is something strange,” said Bernadette.

“It could not have been stranger than you look now, with your staring eyes and your flying hair,” said Jeanne.

“What have you seen, Bernadette?” asked Marie.

“Some one in white, bright and gleaming,” said Bernadette.

“What did it do?  Describe it,” exclaimed Jeanne.

“I cannot describe it.  If you haven’t seen it, I can’t tell you what it was like,” she said.

The two other girls were frightened.  “Will it hurt us?” asked Marie.

“I am afraid of such things,” said Jeanne:  “let us hurry home as fast as we can.”

Bernadette was not afraid, but, habitually passive, she hurried with them without protest.  When they arrived at home she told her mother her experience, and Madame Soubirons, being incredulous, attempted to convince Bernadette that her vision was only a creature of her fancy; but with no avail.  The child was silenced, but not convinced.  Madame Soubirons said she would not allow her daughter to go to the grotto any more, as it filled her with such ideas; and she expected to hear no more about the matter.  But the next day Bernadette talked incessantly of her “Dame,” and on the following day, when some one inquired what her vision was like, she replied that she had seen such a face at church; and on the third day, which was Sunday, she prevailed upon her mother to allow her to go to the grotto again.

Marie and Jeanne accompanied her as before.  Having arrived at the grotto, Bernadette knelt before the aperture:  Marie and Jeanne followed her example, and when they turned to look at her they were amazed at her appearance.  She seemed to be transfigured.  Her face was radiant.  With her eyes fixed, her lips partly open and her hands clasped, she appeared to listen with the greatest attention.  Her companions were frightened by her strange behavior, and implored her to rise and go home with them.

“Bernadette, get up!  Come:  we are afraid of you when you look so strange.”

She seemed to hear them no more than if she had been a statue, and for a few moments the group remained silent and motionless.  There was no sound except the swirling of the stream and the rustling of the leaves, and to Marie and Jeanne the very silence seemed to be a spell of enchantment.  Presently the rapturous light died out of the face of Bernadette, and she appeared as usual, much to the relief of the others.

Upon their arrival at home the same story was told by Bernadette as before, and again it was disbelieved.  No restriction was placed upon her going to the grotto, however, and she continued to visit it, when her vision arose before her again and again.  In course of time the singular event became much talked about, especially among the peasantry of that vicinity, who believed implicitly that the Virgin Mary appeared to the child.