And there was
also the woman stricken with imbecility, whose nose was eaten away, and
who laughed with a terrifying laugh, displaying the black, empty cavern
of her mouth; and then the epileptic woman, whom a recent attack had left
as pale as death, with froth still at the corners of her lips.
But sickness and suffering were no longer of consequence, since they were
all there, seated or stretched with their eyes upon the Grotto. The poor,
fleshless, earthy-looking faces became transfigured, and began to glow
with hope. Anchylosed hands were joined, heavy eyelids found the strength
to rise, exhausted voices revived as the priest shouted the appeals. At
first there was nothing but indistinct stuttering, similar to slight
puffs of air rising, here and there above the multitude. Then the cry
ascended and spread through the crowd itself from one to the other end of
the immense square.
"Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us!" cried the priest in his
thundering voice.
And the sick and the pilgrims repeated louder and louder: "Mary,
conceived without sin, pray for us!"
Then the flow of the litany set in, and continued with increasing speed:
"Most pure Mother, most chaste Mother, thy children are at thy feet!"
"Most pure Mother, most chaste Mother, thy children are at thy feet!"
"Queen of the Angels, say but a word, and our sick shall be healed!"
"Queen of the Angels, say but a word, and our sick shall be healed!"
In the second row of sufferers, near the pulpit, was M.
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