"Nevers, 25 October 1 866" "Bernadette, come!" "Come with us!" "Look, it looks like she's praying." "It isn't really a place to pray." "She's not moving." "Maybe she's dead." "If she was dead, she'd be lying down." "I am lying down." "Bernadette, come on!" "Come with us!" "Sister Maria Theresa quickly, hurry." "Come, doctor." "Take it easy." "Easy now." "Mother." "It'd be a huge loss for the congregation if she died before taking her vows." "Exceptions exist for the dying." "I know, Sister Mary Theresa." "well, what are you waiting for?" "Send for Monsignor." "calm down, my child." "I don't have the strength." "I won't be able to say my vows." "Don't worry, Bernadette." "I'II say them for you." "AII you have to say is "Amen"." "I, Sister Marie Bernard Soubirous, commit myself to God and promise to fulfil the commitments of the vows of poverty, chastity, obedience" "and charity as they are explained in the book of the rule." "Amen." "That's it, my child." "Be brave." "Mother, Monsignor..." "You believe I will die this night." "But I will not." "Shame on you!" "You knew that it was not time." "You knew and you did not say anything." "And we disturbed His Grace." "I warn you, Sister Marie Bernard, if you are not dead by morning," "I will remove your veil." "You will never be anything but a troublemaker." "MY NAME IS BERNADETTE" "Eight years earlier..." "Young girl believed to have catalepsy arouses curiosity of the people of Lourdes" "Let us through!" " You're throwing her in jail?" " Poor girl!" "Pest!" "In the middle Ages, people like you were burned." "What got into you?" "Why did you do that?" "I hate liars!" "What will you do with her?" " Leave her alone!" " We can't let them do that!" " Let her go!" " Leave her alone!" "Don't get up." "My dear Lestrade." "hello, Jacomet." "Sit down." "You have nothing to fear." "I'm here to clear things up." "To stop all the rumours agitating the city..." "As you know, people tend to invent all kinds of fairy tales." "But what I'm interested in is what you have to say." "Do you understand?" "I want you to tell me in detail, everything you saw and heard." "alright?" "You visit MassabieIIe Cave every day?" " Yes, sir." " What is your name?" "Bernadette." "Bernadette what?" "Soubirous." "Your father?" "François." "Your mother?" "Louise." "Can you read and write?" "No, sir." "Don't you go to school?" "Not often." "What do you do?" "I help at home," "I mend, I mind my brothers and my little sister." "You go to Sunday school?" "Yes, sir." "So, Bernadette, you see the Virgin Mary?" "I did not say it was the Virgin Mary." "Say rather that you saw nothing." "problem solved!" "But I did." "I saw something." "When did you see it for the first time?" "Last week, on market day." "Thursday February 1 1 ?" "Pigouno?" "Where can we find wood?" "Up that way, near MassabieIIe." "Stop, Toinette!" "We're wasting time." "That's enough!" "Oh, pigs!" "Wait for me!" "It's cold!" "It's freezing!" "Wait for me, I'm coming." "Bernadette, come on!" "careful of the rocks." "What does this lady wear?" "A white dress, tied by a blue ribbon." "She had a white veil on her head, a yellow rose on each foot." "And she was holding a rosary." " She has feet?" " Yes." "Hidden by the dress and roses." "I only saw her toes." "And you say she is beautiful?" "Yes." "Very beautiful?" "Very beautiful." "How beautiful?" "Like Miss Dufo or like Mrs PaiIhasson?" "Much more beautiful." "I see." "She's very beautiful then." "So, to recapitulate:" ""Bernadette Soubirous, daughter of François" ""and Louise Soubirous." ""On Thursday February 1 1 , market day," ""BaIoum, my sister Toinette and I went to fetch wood."" "Is that correct?" ""I Iooked towards the cave and there..." ""the Virgin appeared to me."" "That isn't what I said." ""A girl in white about 20 years old."" "I didn't give her age." ""beautiful as Mme PaiIhasson!"" "I didn't say that either." ""Her hair resembled a veil!"" "You misunderstood, sir." "I couId hardly see her!" "What about the yellow rose at her waist?" "There is a yellow rose, but on each foot!" "That isn't what you said earlier." "It is!" "You changed everything!" "I know what I'm saying." "That's enough, Bernadette!" "Come on, your daughter's in there!" "They came for her." "Hurry!" "Let him through!" "It's Soubirous." "Let him through!" "Out of the way!" "Open up, please." "Let him in!" "They have no right." "We won't budge!" "This farce must end!" "He wishes you no harm." "Everyone can make mistakes." "Just admit it." "exactly!" "You are making everyone follow you." "I told no one to." "Oh, you're so very glad to show off!" "You want to be a whore?" "MassabieIIe Cave is a place of trysts and the scene of debauchery." "Didn't you know?" "She acts all innocent." "You want to end up in jail?" "Take it easy, sir." "well, now you will tell me who is behind this, who is telling you what to do." "You can't do that." "She did nothing!" "Excuse me." "What's going on?" "Mr Soubirous... he's come for his daughter." "They have no right to keep her." "We're staying put until it's sorted out." "We won't abandon her." "Who's that?" "Jean Prevot, journalist, Just in from Paris." "And what do you want here?" "We don't like talking to folks who take us for fools!" "It's Soubirous' father." "She says she saw the Virgin." "Thank you." "Can you tell me about the family?" "What d'you want to know?" "Everything." "I just got here." " Look!" " What's happening?" "He let her out finally!" "That's good." "Quiet!" "Do you understand?" "If she returns to the cave," "I'II hold you responsible." "You've been in prison." "Do you want to return?" "Go!" "I'm sure she did nothing wrong." "What did I tell you, Lestrade?" "This girl is being manipulated." "Her obstinacy is proof." ""On Thursday February 1 1 , on market day," ""beside the cave, the Virgin appeared to me," ""dressed in white, aged 20."" "ConfabuIation!" "manipulation!" "Come on!" "Are you alright?" "I'm fine." "Why are you laughing?" "The commissioner..." "Did you see how furious he was?" "The Soubirous are so unlucky!" "The girl's got character." "You didn't see anything, do you hear?" "She says she did, Louise." "Bernadette never lies." "It's her imagination, that's all." "Or the work of the devil!" "Everyone knows spirits roam in MassabieIIe." "The devil's work!" "He isn't beautiful and doesn't say the Rosary." "The devil takes many forms." "You couldn't see her feet." "The devil always hides his feet!" " Louise!" " Anyway, I forbid you to go!" "I am so afraid they'II put our Bernadette in prison." "Excuse me." " Good evening!" " Evening!" "The Soubirous are unlucky." "Why d'you say that?" "They work themselves to the bone, but their child sees ghosts!" "You can't reason with her." "She ought to be locked up!" "The Soubirous just don't see." " We poor must keep quiet." " True." "I'm going home." "I've had enough." "Good night." "I do not promise to make you happy in this world but in the next." "The problem is simple, Lestrade." "Either the girl is acting at somebody's instigation or she is suffering from hallucinations." "In the first case, this scandal must cease." "In the second, it must be made clear to gullible people." "Yes, but sometimes it is easier to identify the perpetrator of a plot than to demystify a mental problem." "That's how it is." "It's a conspiracy, believe me." "By whom?" "The family or the clergy?" "Perhaps both, Mr Prosecutor." "You think the Church needs that?" "Of course!" "The common people are turning to socialist theories and abandoning religion." "Lourdes would be another ComposteIa." "The Church needs to keep its flock and feed its imagination!" "But why use this young girl who can neither read nor write, who's still at the letter A." "precisely!" "For all these reasons, Mr Mayor!" "Isn't that so?" "Of course!" "I want to ride on the cart!" " Stop it!" " I want to get on." "Stop!" "That's enough!" "Leave him alone!" "That's enough, children!" "Thank you, Bernadette." "aims!" "Have pity on me!" "Come." "What did you do when you saw her?" "The sign of the cross, of course." "But..." "I couId not bring my hand to my forehead." "My hand was shaking." "Then the lady made the sign of the cross." "And it was better." "I was able to take my rosary." "This lady speaks to you?" "The first time, no." "She just said her Rosary." "But her lips did not move." "The second time, she smiled and nodded." "And the third time, when Mrs MiIhet came with me and asked me to hand her a pen and paper to write her name," "the lady started laughing and said it was unnecessary." "She speaks as I speak to you now?" "Yes." "She speaks to me like a person talking to another." "And she asked me to come every day for two weeks." "Father!" "What is it, Pomian?" "I must speak with you." "The Soubirous girl..." "What about her?" "What's wrong?" "tell me all." "Something very important has happened." "It's like this..." "She said a sound, Iike a gust of wind?" "Yes." "Like the breath of God to elijah in his cave or the holy Spirit on Pentecost." "Since it happened, the girl returns there regularly." "With a growing crowd." "They say it's a miracle, the blessed Virgin." "What should we do?" "Nothing, of course." "What exactly do you want?" "That I endorse what is going on?" "Do you see me at MassabieIIe with the crowd, singing hymns?" "If I yield to public pressure, this blind enthusiasm, what would my position be when we discover that it was just illusions and lies?" "I prefer to ignore what is happening." "If we do nothing, we'II be criticised." "And if we act, we'II be held responsible." "Such are the times!" "We must wait." "We must wait." ""Bernadette belongs to a poor family." ""From birth, she has fought against life," ""against misfortune, Her father, François Soubirous," ""a bankrupt miller, was arrested in 1857 on charges" ""of aggravated robbery." ""But the truth is, his only crime was poverty." ""As for her mother, Louise Casterot, according to gossip she drinks." I'II be right back!" "VoItaire, wake up!" "We cannot be fooled by a young girl!" "Science took centuries to free us from obscurantism this will set us back years!" "What about miracles?" "There is no miracle which science cannot explain." "Excuse me." "Excuse me, sir." "Beware, Dr Dozous, it's contagious!" "Isn't that right?" "Excuse me." "I told your parents, if you agree, you can stay with me, under my protection." "That ought to stop people bothering you!" "Thank you so much, but I'm fine at home." "Penance." "Penance for sinners." " I can't see anything." " Me neither." "She doesn't know what she's doing!" "Excuse me." "What is she doing?" "She thinks she's a goat!" "I don't believe it." "She's insane!" "What's she going to do now?" "It's a farce!" "She's mad!" "This is ridiculous!" "She's mocking us." " She's my sister!" " Leave her be!" "She's my sister!" "Leave her alone!" "Poor Soubirous!" "Her poor parents!" "Come here, my girl." "It's all over." "Leave her alone, please." "Come on." "Out of the way." "Out of the way!" "Let us pass." "Stop!" "Leave us alone!" "Excuse me!" "Doctor Dozous?" "The journalist from Paris?" "Jean Prevot." "It's about Bernadette." "You saw the freak, didn't you?" "I imagine you will say that Bernadette is raving mad!" "I have no opinion yet." "I'm observing." "This isn't the first case." "The Virgin appeared in Montaussé." "ConfabuIation?" "I don't know!" "I have not thought about it." "But do you believe this girl?" "absolutely." "They say she has cataIepsy." "Who does?" "Your colleague of the Lavedan?" "Instead of writing articles, he should investigate!" "I've known Bernadette for years." "She is a fragile girl." "She had cholera and suffers from chronic asthma." "But that does not make her insane!" "But if you reject both fraud and mental illness, then you believe in miracles!" "A man of science!" "And you, journalist, do you believe in miracles?" "Good day, sir!" "people are saying you're mad!" "What possessed you to do this?" "I did what she asked me to do." "She spoke to you?" "And the grass that you ate?" "It was bitter." "Did she ask you to?" "Yes." "people didn't understand why you did it." "Why?" "For the sinners, as a penance." "Open the door." "hello!" "I have come to take you to the imperial Prosecutor." "I'II come with her." "My seats are waiting for you." "Sit down." "No!" "We might soil them." "Sit down, please." "Damned apparitions!" "tell me, ever seen a fairy?" "Or a witch?" "In Lourdes, everyone sees fairies and witches!" "Stop lying!" "Because you are lying!" "Is somebody giving money to you and your family?" " Yes or no?" " No!" "well, if not money, then favours." "No, sir!" "Mrs Soubirous, you do housework for Mrs MiIhet?" "Yes, sir." "I have been informed that she is quite well off." "I do not know, sir." "It's not the sort of thing we ask." "I see." "And you..." "You have taken Mrs MiIhet to the cave several times." " Yes, sir." "Each time you took advantage of her hospitality." "On the 1 8th, the 1 9thh and the 20th." "It was she who came for me." "And now it's a Miss Peyret, president of the children of Mary, who does sewing work for Mrs MiIhet, that you accompany each day." "well?" "What?" "I ask nothing of no one." "tell me, Bernadette, some people say you have powers." "You heal the sick..." "I've healed no one!" "Do you realize the havoc you are causing?" "It's all over; you will never go to the cave again!" "I will return." "What?" "I cannot do otherwise." "I shall have the commissioner arrest you." "You'II sleep in prison!" "If you are locked up, it will be harder to go there." "Don't cry, Mother." "We've done nothing wrong." "Go!" "Leave!" "Get out!" " What about prison?" " Tomorrow!" "well?" "It's almost believable." "Yes, there is water!" " It's a spring!" " It's a miracle!" " Water!" "Who was right?" " You were!" "Come see, Jeanne!" "It's cold." "He was right!" "There is a spring!" "Water!" "I can see." "I can see everything!" "What are you saying?" "I can see your eyes, your pretty eyes!" "I see you,Jeanne." "I can see you!" " You may go." " Thank you." "I can see, Doctor!" "I see with my eye!" "What do you mean?" "I can see with my bad eye!" "I'm healed!" "impossible!" "Jeanne wet my face with MassabieIIe water." " An hour later, I couId see!" " calm down!" "I can see, Doctor." "It's a miracle!" "follow me." "Cover your right eye with your hand." "Right." "What can you read?" ""Bourriette has..." ""an incurable amaurosis." "His left eye is useless."" "I can see!" " I wrote that two years ago." " I can see with my eye." "hello." "Here you go!" "tell us what you saw in the cave." " No!" " Don't go!" "My grandson wants to see you." "He hasn't walked since Christmas." "He hardly eats." "The doctors say it's incurable." "I don't have powers." "Since he heard about you, he has thought of nothing else." "alright." "Lets go." "well then, Jean-Marie?" "You don't want to get up?" "Or eat?" "Don't you Iike the food?" " I must go." " No, stay!" "I want to eat and drink." "Thank you." "I'II come back." "Stop her!" "She'II kill him!" "Our Lady will save him!" "What are you doing?" "I am offering my child to Our Lady!" "No." "Stop!" "That's enough!" "hall Mary, full of grace." "Tender and loving mother." "Mary immaculate, Star of the Morning." "holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death." "What do you think?" "Did you see anything?" "I saw nothing at all." "Come, taste this chocolate." "It's my husband's latest creation." "Do you mind if I take one?" "delicious, Mrs PaiIhasson." "Exquisite!" "But I think you are both too harsh, ladies." "The young girl can see." "What harm is there in that?" "I find you very naive, Mrs Loyson." "Have another chocolate." "Let me ask you something." "Have you seen her at the cave?" "Of course!" "Like everyone else." "And I can assure you it's an awful spectacle!" "AII those people on top of each other..." "It won't help the Church!" " After you." " Thank you." "Mr Mayor!" "hello, Mayor!" "hello, ladies." "What do you think about the cave?" "Later." "Is Mr PaiIhasson here?" "He's preparing new goodies for us." "would you Iike one?" "No, thank you." "It's most kind of you." "Wait, a last one." " Try this." " Thank you." "7km on foot to the cave, pregnant as a whale, with two little ones clinging to her skirt!" "She knelt beside the spring found by Bernadette and then she dipped her handicapped hand in." "She uttered a cry of amazement." "Her dead fingers unfolded." " instantly?" " instantly!" "What did she suffer from?" "Her name is Catherine Latapie." "The doctors had diagnosed an ulnar paralysis caused by a brachial plexus stretch injury." "No hope of recovery." "And this water healed her hand?" "Can I count on your discretion?" "Of course!" "Are you looking for me?" "Yes, Father." "Come in, come in." "What can I do for you?" "still saying you see the blessed Virgin?" "I never said that." "well, who is it?" "A witch?" "A fairy?" "Why do those who follow you say it's the Virgin?" "I don't know!" "You don't know!" "Everyone will laugh at you, my girl!" "Look, I have work to do." "please leave." "Go through the courtyard." "I have a message from the lady." "What message?" "The lady wants us to come in procession to the cave." "She also wants a chapel." "No less!" "Did she give you money for it?" "And you have some?" "Me neither." "tell the lady we want to know her name first." "If she has no name, she doesn't exist." "But when I ask her, she just smiles." "We will not build a chapel if we do not know her name." "And... ask her to make the wild rose bloom!" "There is one at the foot of the rock." "If she has a name and makes the rose bloom, we will build her a chapel." "And it will be a great chapel!" "I'II tell her." "Go now." "Remember, the wild rose!" "She sees the Virgin Mary?" "Right, here's the old bridge, the forest path and the path to the cave." "Those who can't reach the cave can stay on the rock." "If a stone falls, it'II cause injury." "In front of the cave, there's about two metres because of the Gave." "With such a big crowd, if there is panic, or even a simple scuffIe, it could quickly escalate." "God forbid!" "There have been no accidents so far." "I don't know who's behind this dangerous farce, but I will stop them taking advantage of the gullible." "Carry on, CaIIet." "The Church does not endorse the MassabieIIe apparitions." "Nor the alleged miracle cures." "Very well." "So why not try to stop her from going to the cave?" "She accentuates the problem!" "That's her family's affair!" "Why don't you?" "You're in charge of public order." "I can't comment on the child's reasons." "You have no intention of making her see reason?" "I ordered my curates not to go there or to get involved." "Is that so?" "They haven't listened." "Are you doubIe-deaIing?" "Enough, sir!" "I hear Father Pomian told her," ""No one can stop you from going to the cave."" "There's no proof!" "He is the chaplain of Bernadette's school." "He hears her confession." "It doesn't mean he encourages her!" "Do not count on me to support these rumours or involve the Church." "It is already involved like it or not!" "And it's your fault." "Mind your where you walk, sir." "I'm not blind!" "Hurry home." "Good evening!" "This way?" "No, a little further." " What a stench!" " Indeed!" "It's unbearable!" "How can anyone live in this foul place!" "precisely, sir." "This is it." "Go away!" "Come in." " Right." " Sit down, sir." "Are you afraid to soil them?" "No, thank you." " This will not take long." " Indeed not." "I think we'II find a solution." "We cannot stop the crowd visiting MassabieIIe, but if Bernadette does not go we can tell these people that she has become reasonable." "Think about it." "What do you think?" "We stand only to gain." "It's a question of public order." "Is it not, Commissioner?" "Of course!" "Right..." "You talk to her for once." "But what more can I say to her?" "5 five-cent coins, a two-cent coin, an old rosary a bunch of..." " laurel." "... laurel, with two rosebuds, a banner with the image of Christ, a niche decorated with moss with a statue of the Virgin." " My God it's ugly!" " A medal, a woven wreath of flowers." " That's it." " Search everywhere!" "Did you check up there?" "Go on, then!" "We're bound to find firecrackers or fireworks." "I'm sure they'II try to fool us!" "well?" "Nothing!" "There's really nothing?" " No, nothing else, sir." " That's done." "What's that?" "If only the weather would turn bad!" "Come on!" "Get rid of this stuff!" "I want it empty!" "Why deny the obvious?" "A miracle cannot be explained." "It is experienced." "It's quite moving, this fervour." "You think so?" "In any case, our efforts have not been in vain." "Bernadette won't come anymore." "I will tell them." "Listen to me!" "What's going on?" "What's this?" "Touch my daughter." "Eugenie." "Take her to the spring and bathe her eyes with water." " Thank you." "What's happening?" "Stop it!" "please, tell me your name." " Nothing happened?" " No." "well, nothing new or extraordinary." "The wild rose has not bloomed." "I see." "Was she disappointed?" "No, but the crowd with her most likely was." "It's better that way." "How can you say that?" "Our churches have never been so full." "Nor have the confessionals." "True faith does not need folklore!" "It is not measured by the number of followers." "The crowds go for a reason." "And their fervour is sincere." "You would have seen that had you gone there." "I refused as much by mistrust as to protect the child." "So she has touched you, too?" "My heart is with her but my mind must remain cautious." "It is precisely because I want her to tell the truth that I prefer to call her a liar." "Eighteen hours to go from Bordeaux to Bagnères-de-Bigorre and another three to get here!" "I'm exhausted." " Come." " What a nightmare!" " The train will reach here one day." " impossible!" " Do you mind?" " You're more than welcome." "Now for serious matters." "The Soubirous girl?" "A dove hovers over her head?" "She heals the blind?" "You know SavignoI is furious with you." "Why?" "AII the newspapers, Le SiécIe, Le Charivari... without exception, are making fun of her." "And you, as naive as her followers, all you find to write is, "The girl exudes" ""the charm of a pure soul" ""and one can only be troubled by such a phenomenon"" "I believe what I've written." "Are you serious?" "These inexplicable cures that'II be explained one day?" "I promise you..." "Don't promise me anything." "What's got into you?" "You've changed!" "You, the incorruptible journalist, the secular man!" "Been touched by grace?" "Maybe." ""The charm of a pure soul"!" "Bernadette, what are you doing?" "Going to the cave!" "Bernadette, you'II get ill!" " Wait till sunrise." " I must go now." "My cousin is waiting for me." " Cousin." " You came." "follow me." "You see, I told you she would come." "Come on." "Stay close to me." "Madam, I implore you!" "tell me who you are." "tell me your name." "Grace me with your name." "I beg you." ""Que soy era ImmacuIada Councepciou."" "It's the Soubirous girl!" "Father!" "You again!" "What do you want?" ""Que soy era ImmacuIada Councepciou."" "What?" ""Que soy era ImmacuIada Councepciou."" "What are you saying?" "I asked the lady her name and she said," ""Que soy era ImmacuIada Councepciou."" "Come on, come in." "You're wrong, or you're being fooled!" "No!" "I repeated it all the way back." "Repeat, repeat, repeat!" "That sentence means nothing!" "She can't have told you that!" "It can't be her name!" "In you go!" "You know about the immaculate Conception?" "No, Father." "No one has ever told you?" "Think hard." "Your confessor, Father Pomian?" "No, Father." "Mrs MiIhet?" "Miss Peyret?" "No." "Did you read it somewhere?" "That would be hard!" "Sit down." "Sure she didn't say," ""I am the Virgin"?" "Or "I am the mother of Jesus"?" "No." "She said," ""Que soy era ImmacuIada Councepciou."" " In patois?" " Yes." "But how is it possible?" "Bernadette, in a few weeks, you will do your first communion." "You shall approach the holy altar." "You know what that means?" "If you've lied..." "Admit someone told you." "I will not be angry with you." "But I have nothing to admit, Father." " Does she still want a chapel?" "Yes." "She will have it!" "But what is the immaculate Conception?" "When you want to get pure water from a muddy spring, what do you do?" "You filter it to get rid of the dirt until it becomes perfectly clear." "That is what God did through Mary." "He gave her original purity to give birth to Jesus free of all sin." "Do you understand?" "No!" "You'II understand later." ""Jesus" ""called his twelve dis..." ""disciples and gave them" ""the power to ward off evil."" "Excuse me a moment." "Yes, Bernadette?" "Come on, tell me." "Why did the blessed Virgin have to be pure before giving birth to Jesus?" "Because..." "Because she had to be pure." "That's just the way it is." "It could not be otherwise." "Otherwise?" "Otherwise..." "Otherwise, nothing!" "It goes without saying that only a person cleansed from all sin could give birth to the son of God." "Sit down." "Sister, I'm sorry to interrupt you." "I'm here for Bernadette Soubirous." "You may go, Bernadette." "Thank you, Sister." "Come with me." "I'm taking you to the infirmary." "But I'm not sick!" "I know." "Don't worry." "gentlemen, here is Bernadette Soubirous." "hello, Miss." "Bernadette, I assure you" "Dr BaIencie, Dr Peyrus and Dr Lacrampe mean you no harm." "Not so, gentlemen?" " Of course." " obviously." "I shall leave you." "Do you know what an hallucination is?" "No, sir." " And an illusion?" " No, sir." "Does this remind you of anything?" "Do you suffer from headaches?" " No!" " Never?" "occasionally." "What is five times five?" "Twenty-five." "And 1 7 times 38?" "I don't know!" "Do you?" "would you mind, Miss?" "Excuse me." "There we go." "Right..." "Yes." "You see, her head is a normal shape?" "normal but narrow." "Wait, wait." "What?" "There." "Yes." "See for yourself." "What is it?" "feel the bump?" "It's a small bump." "A very small bump." "gentlemen, please!" "I fell in the yard." "Is that so?" "playing, naturally..." "Excuse me." "Open your eyes." "Yes, Iike that." "A strange look." "Yes, peculiar." "The eyes are lively." "Indeed." "Excuse me." "Come on, my girl, Iie down, please." "calm down, my girl." "Breathe, please!" "A faint wheezing characteristic of chronic asthma." "Are you being treated?" "Doctor Dozous cares for me." "Good old Doctor Dozous!" "Says you're not lying about seeing the Virgin." " I'm not lying!" " So you see her?" "Yes I do!" "She speaks to me, holds out her arms!" "Why do only you see her?" " I don't know!" " Lies!" " I don't know!" " hallucinations!" "Leave me alone!" " Bernadette!" " The holy Spirit!" "I have no powers!" "Leave me alone!" "Wait." "Leave me alone!" " Let me touch you." " Look at us!" "Are you alright?" "Leave us!" " Did you see that!" " Poor girl." "They're all crazy." "They're fit for the asylum!" "Leave her be!" "Leave us alone!" "Stop!" "Don't touch her!" "Leave her alone!" "Stop!" "Wait for us, Bernadette!" "Leave us alone!" "No!" "Leave her alone!" "Bernadette, go to the Sajous." "No, enough!" "You will not come in!" "hello, Doctor." "Did you see?" "Dr Dozous is ignoring us." "It's logical." "We didn't consult him." "He isn't the scientist we once knew." "He has fallen for it too." "And the report?" ""The disease that we believe is responsible" ""poses no risk" ""to the health of the child."" "Do you understand anything?" "Nobody is willing to take responsibility." "We cannot lock up the child if she is not insane." "Father!" "Did you send doctors to examine Bernadette?" "Yes, Father, on the orders of Prefect Massy." "She isn't mad!" "But with this treatment she soon could be!" "Had you taken an interest in her, we would not be here now." "You opposed Prosecutor Dutour when he required your help." "An important event has occurred since." "When it suits you!" "tell the honorable Prefect Massy" "Bernadette will not go to an asylum!" "From now on, she is under my protection!" "If he sends his officers to take her," "I'II stand in their way!" "They'II have to knock me down and trample on me before they touch a hair on her head!" "Your Grace." "Father, I've been expecting you." "please sit down." "I'm listening." "Every day, I receive dozens of letters from France and abroad begging the truth." "They wish to know the truth!" "But what truth?" "The time has come for the Church to impose its own." "Are you usually patient?" "No, Your Grace." "The child is being subjected to an intolerable ordeal." "I cannot accept a heavenly message brought by an illiterate peasant." "I need proof, irrefutable proof." "I have brought you proof." "Second-hand evidence!" "AII these sick people who could walk again, who recovered their sight, all these desperate cases..." "Why not?" "The problem is there are far too many." "How do we separate the good from the bad?" "Order an official investigation." "What a farce!" "What a disappointment!" "Did you see something?" "No." "It's your fault, we should've come sooner." "You heard what Dr Dozous said?" "When the girl "saw", she cupped the flame with both hands and felt nothing." "When he checked, there was no sign of burns." "I'm sorry, but I still believe all this is mass hysteria." "Nothing more, nothing less!" "But Pierre!" " Don't you see what's going on?" " Yes!" "But what I see is not what you say!" "This illiterate girl has been so manipulated by PeyramaIe and his acolytes that she has become a perfect manipulator and outstanding actress." "An actress would have put on a show, a show of emotion..." "But I do not regret coming." "The people here are nice!" "Why did this happen to me?" "I'm not a saint." "I'm normal!" "I'm just like everyone else." "No, Bernadette." "You're Mary's messenger." "You did nothing to be graced, and it is perfect like this." "When she appears to you, you turn white." "If she's sad, you're sad, if she's gay, you're gay." "Do you think one day I will take the veil?" "You would leave your people?" "I'm not afraid to." "And your parents?" "Father would not be happy." "He would keep me forever." "Do you get along well with him?" "Yes." "But I Iove my mother too." "although, I feel closer to my father." "Maybe because he visited every day when I was with my wet nurse." "I don't know why Mother visited less." "I too would Iike to become a nun, but my parents are not ready." "Mother says I'm too young to live like a dead person." "She hopes I'II fall in love and lead a normal life." "Why are you laughing?" "Look at you!" "You have everything going for you!" "You're a teacher." "You can read, you can write." "You're so pretty." "Before the Lady appeared to me, I was nothing!" "Bernadette..." "Mr Prefect, after you." "Enough!" "The ministers of justice and of religious affairs have asked me to put a stop to this scandal!" "It is a violation of the Iaw and the dignity of religion!" "An altar has been built, the place embellished, access facilitated!" "You'II be holding mass next!" "We will divide the road leading to the cave." "arrivals on the Ieft, those leaving on the right." "But above all, gentlemen, I ask you to stay calm and not yield to provocation." "Break them up!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Everybody out of the cave!" "Father?" "well?" "still not finished?" "I got the test results of the MassabieIIe water." "Contrary to what the pharmacist said, the water is absolutely clear, colourless, odourless and tasteless, and above all, it has no therapeutic properties!" "well, are you coming?" "Thank you, Sister." "hello." "hello." "Everyone's talking about you, even in Paris." " Excuse him." " I know." "The papers mention your name." "Did you expect that too?" " Don't you read the papers?" " I can't read." " Doesn't it interest you?" " No, not at all." "Listen, Bernadette," "I have a proposal for you." "Come to Paris." "In three months, you'II be rich." "Let me make your fortune!" "Thank you, sir, but I'd rather stay poor." "Don't talk to her like that!" " The girl deserves respect." " What?" "I was perfectly honest." "An exclusive is worth a fortune." "What have I done wrong?" "I'd have split the profits with her, and even with you." "No entry." "No bathing and no drinking." "We can't do anything!" "Sign here, please." " Sir, it's for the cave." " No!" "It's important!" "For the reopening of the cave." "It's important." "Everybody's getting involved." "What's this about a petition?" "What are things coming to?" "I even heard some armed themselves with iron bars and hammers to force entry to the cave!" "It's important!" "trouble is grist for the mill of those who want us to lock up Bernadette!" "Don't you understand that?" "honestly!" "Bernadette is one of ours!" "She's persecuted by the rich and their police and their doctors." "Look, it's not because she saw the Virgin, but because she is poor!" "What they want is to keep the poor from the water of the cave, in order to sell it for a high price." "But we will not allow it!" "Let's go!" "Forward!" "They've destroyed the barriers three times and gotten away with it three times." "They thwart the watchmen and we're not warned in time." "Get to work!" "We will set up a permanent watch." "We will have the Iast word!" " Yes, Commissioner." " Execution!" "You, follow me." "Come on!" "Remove all that!" "Now!" " What?" " Remove it all." "Is this a joke?" " Carry on!" " Stop!" "That is an order from above." "The Emperor?" "precisely." "The cave is to be reopened." " So what do we do?" " Go home!" " And who'II pay us?" " See Inspector Jacomet." "None of this makes any sense!" "The minister of religious affairs, represented by Prefect Massy, instructed us to end this scandal and by all means!" ""An altar has been built, the place improved..." ""You'II be holding mass next!"" "Those were his words, his very words!" "Fine words!" "Now we must remove it." "No one asked you for your opinion." " Just execute the order." " But, sir!" "Execution!" "Stop everything!" "Stop everything!" "Go on!" "unbelievable!" "Go away!" "You have no business here." "Off you go!" "Go on!" "I have two pieces of good news for you." "First, our bishop, Monseigneur Laurence, is to convene the episcopal Commission to examine Bernadette's case." "That's good news?" "What do they want to know?" "They will ask you what happened at the cave." "Again?" "I have already said a hundred times!" "You must do it." "The second is, we want Bernadette as a boarder at the hospice." "She will be safe and can continue her education." "The nuns will never agree!" "They already have." "She will be a boarder." "Mother AIexandrine has agreed." "The City will pay for her as one of its own." "But I'm good at nothing." "I'm always sick." "I don't want to go." "My family needs me." "I have rented the Gras mill for them." "At Lapaca?" "Your father can resume his old job." "Your mother will not need to work." "I will finally be at peace." "What was she wearing?" "A white dress, a white veil with a rose on each foot." "Were the roses white too?" "No, yellow." "yellow?" "Are you sure?" "Yes." "A yellow rose on each foot." " would you Iike to rest?" " No." "Thank you, I'm fine." "Let us continue." "How did you feel when you saw her?" "I felt joy, great joy." "Joy?" "Yes, immense joy." "tell us about when you found the spring." "What day was it?" "I don't know." "I don't remember." "Try." "The truth must be accurate." "But I am not a liar!" "I know what she told me, not when." "Continue." "You were about to drink from the Gave?" "Yes." "But the lady told me not to." "She showed me another place," "There was no water." "Just pebbles and dust." "What did you do?" "I obeyed." "And how do you explain the vision ordered you to tell the priests to make a solemn procession to the cave the next day?" "You never mentioned it before." "I'm tired." "I'm tired!" ""Pictures and photographs of the Lourdes cave" ""and portraits of Bernadette." "affordable prices for gifts."" "The Church confirms the apparitions and 7 miracles, processions are taking place..." "Bernadette has only to hide behind her image!" "Don't tell me you bought MassabieIIe water!" "Yes." "You gave them money!" "Yes." "What miracle do you expect?" "You're in perfect health AII is well, right?" "I get it!" "You hope this water will help you to find love." "You're awfully shrewd." "One can hide nothing from you." "The cataIeptics." "What a pantomime!" "AII it takes is for one to have an attack and all the others follow suit." " Looking for someone?" " EIise Prévot." "One of your patients?" "She's my sister." "Nurse!" "Bring EIise Prévot." "How are you?" "Here, look!" "Take this." "Drink it." "Drink it and you will be healed." "I promise you'II be healed." "Mother AIexandrine is there." "Thank you, Sister." "Mother AIexandrine?" "Excuse me." " hello Mrs Soubirous." " Thank you." "Thank you very much!" "You have been kind enough to accept Bernadette..." "Don't worry, madam." "I'm sure she will be well behaved." "You see, Bernadette, they trust you." "Join the other girls." "I'II see you later." "Everything will be fine now." "Thank you, Mother." "Goodbye." "Come on, it's time." "You may go." "In silence." " Goodbye, Sister." " See you tomorrow." "Bernadette?" "What's wrong, Bernadette?" "What's the matter?" "I don't understand anything." "I will have to be made to swallow this book." "I don't understand!" "You're tired of reading?" "Try at Ieast learn to write." "Look." "Look." "You have models here." "AII you have to do is copy them." "Try." "Try again." "It isn't bad." "Is Bernadette ready?" "Come on, that's enough now." "Off you go!" "Come with me." "kneel down here." "That's it." "Hands together." "You moved!" "No." "You did!" "My knees hurt." "Eight minutes isn't long!" "I'd Iike to see you try." " What now?" " It's easier without it." "That'd surprise me!" "I'II put that there." "Right!" "Do not move!" "Imagine the Lady is before you!" "Look thrilled." "Like when you saw her." "Ready?" "No, that's not it!" " What's wrong?" " It won't do at all!" "You didn't look like that when you saw the Virgin!" "She isn't here." "It's like this every day." "Bernadette is being very patient." "Make no mistake, Your Grace." "It depends on her mood." "She does what her health allows her to do." "Of course!" "As well." " hello." " hello." "I need nothing." "It is not for you, but for the poor." "You'II have the pleasure of giving alms." "Then give it on my behalf, sir." "It is worth more than if I do it." "Thank you." "Good, Bernadette." "That's very good." "Goodbye, madam." "Thank you for your welcome." "Bernadette does it with such joy." "Not so, Bernadette?" "Yes, Mother." "Thank you very much." " Goodbye." " Goodbye." "You were very brave, Bernadette." "well, I prefer my attacks to these visits!" "Bernadette?" "Let's go." "follow me." "Let's put the offerings away." "It's really very pretty." "Come on, girls!" "Hurry up!" "Time to go to class." "What are you doing?" " Give me that!" " No!" "What do you mean no?" "It's Sunday." "I can wear it to my parents." "We'II see about that!" "Here, my girl, we will teach you obedience!" "Go and join the others." "Thank you." "You know, Bernadette is a woman now." "And young girls her age begin to dream of a home, a husband, children." "One can easily fight against vanity and gaiety." "But how can we prevent love?" "If she fell in love... or if she had the desire to accept a marriage proposal..." "Here, this is a letter Bishop Laurence received." "It is signed by a RaouI de Choisne de TricqueviIIe." "He is finishing his medical studies and wants to marry her!" "What nonsense!" " He's never seen her." " You're surprised?" "Here, he writes," ""If I should not marry her, "I believe I would die.?" ""I ask God's grace to die in solitude."" "In solitude!" "What's wrong?" "Look at me." "Aren't you happy here?" "people talk about you and admire you." "I'm afraid, Jeanne." "I'm afraid." "Afraid of what?" "Everything." "myself." "I feel so confused." "I no Ionger know what is right or wrong." "I don't want to see anyone." "If I couId..." "Join the CarmeIites?" "Yes." "The bars." "The black veil." "The silence." "I would retire, I would be at peace." "Nobody would come and bother me!" "But I cannot because of my health." "I can't do anything!" "VigiIs, fasts..." "It's just too bad." "You would be granted exemptions." "But I don't want exemptions." "I want to follow the rule like the others." "gently, gentlemen." "gently!" "It's very fragile." "Bernadette!" "Come closer!" "It's wonderful!" "Here she is!" "Right?" "Sir..." "Yes." "What do you want to say?" "Isn't it beautiful?" "No." "No?" "That's not it." "Not it at all!" "She didn't look up." "But the blessed Virgin always looks at the sky." "well, maybe." "When I was there, she looked at me." "She looked down." "But Bernadette..." "You find her beautiful, don't you?" "She's magnificent." "Yes." "But it isn't the Lady of MassabieIIe." "Let's forget the head." "Is it her or not?" "well?" "No." "It isn't her." "Bernadette..." "That's not her, sir." "No." "I know what you're going to say." "I was wicked and proud, and I'm good for nothing." "No, Bernadette, I do not believe that." "She chose you for a reason." "She showed you the way." "Monsignor Forcade wishes to talk to you about something." "Monsignor." "Sit down, my child." "What do you intend to do now?" "Nothing." "What do you mean nothing?" "We must all do something in this world." "I'm with the nuns." "Indeed, but... you cannot stay forever." "I would Iike to stay forever." "We took you in temporarily out of charity." "But we cannot keep you forever." "Why don't you become a nun?" "A Sister of Nevers?" "Have you thought about it?" "Yes." "A few times." "But I'm poor." "I'II never raise the dowry." "When we recognise a true vocation in a poor girl, we do not hesitate, even without a dowry." "When you have decided, ask the Mother to talk to the Mother Superior." "I will take care of the rest." "Thank you, Father." "Thank you for what?" "Thank you for everything." "Mother!" "So this is it?" "You go tomorrow." "I will join the Sisters of Nevers." " Where's Father?" " He's inside." "Father?" "Father!" "I should have stopped you going to the cave." "Why do you say that?" "Nevers, late 1 866" "It is deceitful, Sister Marie-Bernard, to play tricks like that!" " You cheated your profession!" " It is unworthy." "I have not cheated!" "You were not as ill as you said!" "Return your veil!" "I have it and I will not give it up!" "I do not believe those eyes saw the blessed Virgin!" "Sister MathiIde Brusson." "You are assigned to our Institute for the blind." "It is a great mission." "You will leave tomorrow." "Sister Victorine Bounaix." "You are to join our community in Mirande." "Your organizational skills will be appreciated by the nuns who manage it." "You will leave Sunday." "Sister Christine dallas." "Today, you join our home in Yonne." "We need strong people to work on the vegetable garden." "There is no assignment letter for Sister Marie-Bernard?" "Sister Marie-Bernard is a silly girl who is good for nothing." "Sister Marie-Bernard, come here." "You are to be sent nowhere." "But you will pray for the others." "Is it true, Sister, you are good for nothing?" "Yes, it's true, Monsignor." "Do you know the story of the tree that was "no good"?" "No, Monsignor." "well, it was the only tree in the forest that the loggers would not cut down." "They said, "Why?" "There is no point." ""Its branches have too many knots." ""They are all twisted." ""We can not use it for fuel." ""Its smoke hurts the eyes." ""This tree is absolutely useless." ""That's why we haven't cut it down."" "Be like this tree, Bernadette." "Be useless." "But don't worry, your useIessness doesn't mean you're worthless." "Be the Iast, if you wish." "Do not try to be what you are not." "Be yourself." "That's all." "Remain unnecessary and rejoice." "The greatest experience in life comes not from what you do but what you give out of love." "From what is given out of love." "Oh dear!" "Easy." "Can anyone help me?" "Can anyone help me?" "Sister Marie-Bernard, come." "We'II lift her." "hold her under her arm." "That's it." "firmly." "That's right." "We'II walk slowly." "You'II be alright." "You'II be alright, Sister." "Mind the step." "What are you doing, Sister Marie-Bernard?" "This is not your job!" "I asked Sister Marie-Bernard to help me!" "Come on." "You promised that I would be happy in the next life!" "I am already happy." "It's good to be useless and to give to others." "I said many things." "But what must be remembered is what I first said." "I may have forgotten and others may have forgotten." "The simplest story will be the best."