A priest pronounced the words, "They shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Then the king stroked the ulcers, while the reading continued; finally, the patient graduated and got his nickel--the king hanging it around his neck himself--and was dismissed.

Would you think that that would cure?
It certainly did.

Any mummery will cure if the patient's faith is strong in it.

Up by Astolat there was a chapel where the Virgin had once appeared to a girl who used to herd geese around there--the girl said so herself--and they built the chapel upon that spot and hung a picture in it representing the occurrence--a picture which you would think it dangerous for a sick person to approach; whereas, on the contrary, thousands of the lame and the sick came and prayed before it every year and went away whole and sound; and even the well could look upon it and live.
Of course, when I was told these things I did not believe them; but when I went there and saw them I had to succumb.

I saw the cures effected myself; and they were real cures and not questionable.
I saw cripples whom I had seen around Camelot for years on crutches, arrive and pray before that picture, and put down their crutches and walk off without a limp.