Bernadette did likewise. The appearance then vanished, and
for some time Bernadette remained spell-bound and still kneeling and
gazing abstractedly into the grotto, from which the luminous quality
had faded. After a short time she recovered from her transport, and
looking around her found the appearance of nothing changed. The stream
rushed on, the trees were the same, and in the hollow of the grotto
the wild brier grew in its accustomed place, and the clinging moss and
the ivy trails were unchanged.
Bernadette made her way across the stream as quickly as she could,
and hastening onward soon overtook Marie and Jeanne, who looked up
in surprise at her haste. When she had reached them their surprise
deepened into wonder as they observed the emotion depicted in her
face.
"Have you seen nothing?" inquired Bernadette, her eyes all aglow with
excitement.
"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.
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