CHAPTER ELEVEN
LUCIA'S PARENTS LOSE THEIR SCEPTICISM
Devoutly the children knelt before the makeshift altar as each told his or her own story to the Lady, stories full of apology on account of having missed their appointment, sorrow at the thought of the Lady's disappointment at having come in vain and their yearning to see her again. Then together they went home.
Four days later, on August the nineteenth, as Lucia, accompanied by Francesco and one of his brothers, was herding the sheep at Os Valinhos, a valley situated between Aljustrel and the Cabeco, she suddenly observed that the sun had paled.Lucia called to Francesco to observe the phenomenon. Queickly the latter emptied all the money from his pocket and pressed it into his brother's hand.
"Run!" he urged, "you can hav this, please run quickly and fetch Jacinta!"
As his brother speedily obeyed, Francesco remarked to Lucia:
"If Jacinta is too late to see the Lady, she'll be so sad!"
He need not have worried, for a few minutes later Jacinta arrived on the spot, out of breath but elated.
"We have already seen the two flashes of light!" Lucia informed her. A moment later the Lady was standing above another oak, taller than the holm oak at the Cova.
How she smiled at her three friends and how much pity she bestowed on them for the treatment that had been meted out to them. Then she grew infinitely sad as she informed them that on account of the way they had been treated, the miracle which was to take place during October would be less wonderful than originally intended. Again she urged her friends to pray and make sacrifices for the sake of people
"Pray, pray much and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to hell because there is no one who makes sacrifices for them," she said and the sadness on her face bore witness to the consuming sorrow this Mother feels at the thought of losing even one of her millions of children.
"They have erected an altar in Thy Honour at the Cova," Lucia told the Lady, "Many people have left money but no one wants to take charge of it. Please tell me what Thou desirest the people to do with it."
The Lady explained that the money was to be spent on two stands such as are used during processions. One was to be coloured gold and the other silver. On the Feast of the Rosary, Lucia and Jacinta with two other girls, all to be dressed in white, were to carry the gold one while Francesco and three of his companions, also dressed in white, should carry the silver one. The remainder of the money was to be spent on the building of a Chapel on the spot of the apparitions. Lucia then commended some sick persons to the Lady's care.
"Let them pray the Rosary," was the answer, "Then some of them will be cured during the course of the year."
Throughout the visit, Francesco's brother had been vainly straining his eyes and ears to catch a glimpse or a word. Now he heard Lucia call out:
"There the Lady goes. Look!" Simultaneously he heard a loud sound. Sadly he regarded the other children, so much privileged. Lucia sensed his heartache.
"The Lady was standing on that branch," she said comfortingly.
"Francesco, why don't you climb up and pull off the branch on which the Lady's feet were resting?"
Quickly Francesco did as he was told.
"Let me hold it," his brother begged, holding out his hand. He became aware of a wondrous fragrance emanating from the branch.
He showed the others, and they breathed in the sweet scent, delighted to have been given yet a further manifestation of their Lady's power.
Passing Lucia's house, Francesco and Jacinta waved to Maria Rosa who stood wielding her broom at the front door.
"Aunt, we saw the Blessed Virgin again."
"Look Aunt, she was standing on this branch."
Maria Rosa took the branch held out to her, but her gaze turned to one of incredulity as its fragrance reached her. An oak branch to spread such a heavenly fragrance. Surely this could not be a hoax? Thomas saw Our Lord after His Resurrection, and believed. Maria Rosa experienced the scent from an oak branch and most of her doubt evaporated.
Even Lucia's father was impressed by the event. Henceforward he would command his other daughter to stop teasing Lucia.
"We don't know that she's telling the truth," he would say, "but we can't prove she's lying either."
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