Very amiable and distinguished in his manners, he
did not come to Lourdes in any official capacity, but simply for his
pleasure, as so many other people did; and the bright, sparkling smile of
a sceptic above all idolatry gleamed in the depths of his fine eyes. He
certainly believed, and bowed to superior decisions; but the Church--the
Holy See--had not pronounced itself with regard to the miracles; and he
seemed quite ready to dispute their authenticity. Having lived at Tarbes
he was already acquainted with Gerard.
"Ah!" he said to him, "how impressive it is--isn't it?--this waiting for
the trains in the middle of the night! I have come to meet a lady--one of
my former Paris penitents--but I don't know what train she will come by.
Still, as you see, I stop on, for it all interests me so much."
Then another priest, an old country priest, having come to sit down on
the same bench, the Abbe considerately began talking to him, speaking of
the beauty of the Lourdes district and of the theatrical effect which
would take place by-and-by when the sun rose and the mountains appeared.
However, there was again a sudden alert, and the station-master ran along
shouting orders. Removing his hand from Dr. Bonamy's shoulder, Father
Fourcade, despite his gouty leg, hastily drew near.
"Oh! it's that Bayonne express which is so late," answered the
station-master in reply to the questions addressed to him. "I should like
some information about it; I'm not at ease.
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