As told by Maria Caminha
English
It was Rita and Bettina who had that happiness, and many other people.
Rita saw in front of the sun the face [3] of Our Lady, only the face, and she was becoming.... I don't even know how to put it, she lost the sense of time, and cannot describe what she saw, she doesn't know how; nothing can compare with the beauty and sweetness of that smile.
Português (original)
Rita e Bettina é que tiveram essa felicidade e muitas outras pessoas.
A Rita via adiante do sol a face [3] de Nossa Senhora, só a face, e ia ficando.... nem sei como dizer, perdeu a noção do tempo, e não pode descrever o que viu, não sabe, nada se póde comparar com a belleza e doçura d'aquelle sorriso.
DCF III-1, Doc. 146 · letter · 21 Oct 1917 (8 days later) · also in DCF III-1, Doc. 358View scans (2)Link
