On Thursday, February 11th, 1858, in Lourdes, the fire in the hearth of the "Cachot" went out.



Bernadette, Toinette and a friend, Baloume, went to Massabielle in search of firewood. There, in the Grotto, a Lady dressed in “white" appeared to Bernadette. On the way home, Bernadette told her sister about her vision. Toinette, who had seen nothing herself, told their mother who forbade them to return to the Grotto.



But, on Sunday, February 14th, with her father's permission, Bernadette did return, and the Lady appeared to her a second time. In town, there was talk of some kind of a carnival prank.



On Thursday, February 18th, Madame Milhet - for whom Louise worked occasionally - and her seamstress, went with Bernadette. They urged her to ask the Lady to sign her name. Smiling, the Lady spoke for the first time, and said, in the local dialect, "That won't be necessary... Would you be good enough to come here every day for a fortnight ? ... I promise you happiness, not in this world, but in the next". In town, the two women talked.



For the fourth apparition, on February 19th, there were eight curious onlookers, thirty the following day, and a hundred on the 21st. That same evening, Bernadette was summoned by Police Superintendent Jacomet, and submitted to a grueling interrogation.



