bably a case of intense subjective
excitement. But it may be an amelioration. We do not know yet. The real
work of investigating comes afterwards."

How arbitrary it all seemed, I thought, as I walked home to dinner. That
morning, on my way from the Bureau, I had seen a great company of white
banners moving together; and, on inquiry, had found that these were the
_miracules_ chiefly of previous years--about three hundred and fifty in
number.[6] They formed a considerably large procession. I had looked at
their faces: there were many more women than men (as there were upon
Calvary). But as I watched them I could not conceive upon what principle
the Supernatural had suddenly descended on this and not on that. "Two
men in one bed.... Two women grinding at the mill.... One is taken and
the other left." Here were persons of all ages--from six to eighty, I
should guess--of all characters, ranks, experiences; of both sexes. Some
were religious, some grocers, some of the nobility, a retired soldier or
two, and so on. They were not distinguished for holiness, it seemed. I
had heard heartbreaking little stories of the ten lepers over again--one
grateful, nine selfish. One or two of the girls, I heard, had had their
heads turned by flattery and congratulation; they had begun to give
themselves airs.

And, now again, here was this day, this almost obvious occasion. It was
the Jubilee Year; everything was about on a double scale. And nothing
had happened! Further, five of the sick had actually died at Lourdes
during their first night there. To come so far and to die!

On what principle, then, did God act? Then I suddenly understood, not
God's principles, but my own; and I went home both ashamed and
comforted.

FOOTNOTES:

[6] The official numbers of those at the afternoon procession were 341.

VI.

I said a midnight Mass that night in the same chapel of the Rosary
Church as on the previous morning. Again the crush was terrific. On the
steps of the church I saw a friar hearing a confession; and on entering
I found High Mass proceeding in the body of the church itself, with a
congregation so large and so worn-out that many were sleeping in
constrained attitudes among the seats. In fact, I was informed, since
the sleeping accommodation of Lourdes could not possibly provide for so
large a pilgrimage, there were many hundreds, at least, who slept where
they could--on the steps of churches, under trees and rocks, and by th