In the course of this month, the influx of people increased considerably, and so did the constant questionings and contradictions. Francisco suffered quite a lot from all this, and complained to his sister saying: “What a pity! If you had only kept quiet, no one would know! If only it were not a lie we could tell all the people that we saw nothing, and that would be the end of it. But this can’t be done!” When he saw me perplexed and in doubt, he wept, and said: “But how can you think that it is the devil? Didn’t you see Our Lady and God in that great light? How can we go there without you, when it is you who does the talking?”
That night after supper he came back to my house, called me out to the old threshing floor, and said: “Look! Aren’t you going tomorrow?”
“I am not going. I’ve already told you I’m not going back there anymore.”
“But what a shame! Why is it that you now think that way? Don’t you see that it can’t be the devil? God is already sad enough on account of so many sins and now if you don’t go, He’ll be sadder still! Come on, say you’ll go!”
“I’ve already told you I’m not going. It is no use asking me.” And I returned abruptly to the house.
A few days later, he said to me: “You know I never slept at all that night. I was the whole time crying and praying, begging Our Lady to make you go!”