Indeed her prayers had gained me this unspeakable favour—­a smile from the Blessed Virgin!  When she saw me with my eyes fixed on the statue, she said to herself:  “Therese is cured!” And it was true.  The Little Flower had come to life again—­a bright ray from its glorious Sun had warmed and set it free for ever from its cruel enemy.  “The dark winter is past, the rain is over and gone,"[7] and Our Lady’s Little Flower gathered such strength that five years later it opened wide its petals on the fertile mountain of Carmel.

As I said before, Marie was convinced that Our Blessed Lady, while restoring my bodily health, had granted me some hidden grace.  So, when I was alone with her, I could not resist her tender and pressing inquiries.  I was so astonished to find my secret already known, without my having said a word, that I told her everything.  Alas! as I had foreseen, my joy was turned into bitterness.  For four years the remembrance of this grace was a cause of real pain to me, and it was only in the blessed sanctuary of Our Lady of Victories, at my Mother’s feet, that I once again found peace.  There it was restored to me in all its fulness, as I will tell you later.

This is how my joy was changed into sadness.  When Marie had heard the childish, but perfectly sincere, account of the grace I had received, she begged my leave to tell them at the Carmel, and I did not like to refuse her.  My first visit there after my illness was full of joy at seeing Pauline clothed in the habit of Our Lady of Carmel.  It was a happy time for us both, we had so much to say, we had both suffered so much.  My heart was so full that I could hardly speak.

You were there, dear Mother, and plainly showed your affection for me; I saw several other Sisters too, and you must remember how they questioned me about my cure.  Some asked if Our Lady was holding the Infant Jesus in her arms, others if the Angels were with her, and so on.  All these questions distressed and grieved me, and I could only make one answer:  “Our Lady looked very beautiful; I saw her come towards me and smile.”  But noticing that the nuns thought something quite different had happened from what I had told them, I began to persuade myself that I had been guilty of an untruth.

If only I had kept my secret I should have kept my happiness also.  But Our Lady allowed this trouble to befall me for the good of my soul; perhaps without it vanity would have crept into my heart, whereas now I was humbled, and I looked on myself with feelings of contempt.  My God, Thou alone knowest all that I suffered! ______________________________

[1] Marie Guerin entered the Carmel at Lisieux on August 15, 1895, and took the name of Sister Mary of the Eucharist.  She died on April 14, 1905, aged thirty-four.

[2] With the Carmelites the grating is only opened for near relatives and very young children. [Ed.]

[3] “Pauline” has several times been Prioress of the Carmel of Lisieux, and in 1909 again succeeded to that office on the death of the young and saintly Mother Mary of St. Angelus of the Child Jesus. [Ed.]