In the third class, again, no miracle is proclaimed unless the cure is either instantaneous, or the period of it very considerably shortened beyond all known examples of natural cure by suggestion." "And you mean to say that such cures are frequent ?" The old priest smiled.
"Why, of course.

There is an accumulation of evidence from the past hundred years which----" "Broken limbs ?" "Oh yes; there's the case of Pierre de Rudder, at Oostacker, in the nineteenth century.

That's the first of the series--the first, I mean, that has been scientifically examined.

It's in all the old books." "What was the matter with him ?" "Leg broken below the knee for eight years." "And how long did the cure take ?" "Instantaneous." There was silence again.
Monsignor was staring out and downwards at the flitting meadow-land far below.

A flock of white birds moved across the darkening grey, like flying specks seen in the eye, yet it seemed with extraordinary slowness and deliberation, so great was the distance at which they flew.