figure of a woman, surrounded by a halo of brilliant light. She was clothed in a white robe, with a blue girdle round her waist and a long white veil on her head, while from her right arm there hung a rosary formed of white beads, the cross being of gold. This lady was most beautiful to behold, and she smiled kindly and Sweetly on the child. Bernadette fell on her knees and tried to tell her beads, but she was so much frightened that she could not even make the sign of the cross. Seeing this, the lady made the sign of the cross herself. Then the child, taking courage, blessed herself and recited the rosary all through. . When she had finished, the apparition suddenly vanished, just as a flame goes out. Bernadette told her companions what she had seen, and when she got home, she told her mother also. The next Sunday the girl went with her companions to the same spot, taking some holy water with her. Scarcely had she begun to say her beads when the same figure appeared again. This time Bernadette sprinkled some holy water in the direction of the place where the apparition stood; but instead of disappearing, the lady smiled benignantly, bowed her head, and approached somewhat nearer. The other children saw nothing extraordinary, they only noticed that Bernadette’s countenance beamed with delight. When the child went to the grotto for the third time she was accompanied by two women. On this occasion the shining figure expressed the wish that Bernadette should come thither daily for a fortnight, and that a great many people should come with her. Accordingly, when the apparition again
