Chapter XCIX. How a certain brother beheld the stigmata by means of a pious fraud

137. While the man of God abode at Siena a brother from Brescia chanced to come there who greatly desired to see the stigmata of the holy father, and earnestly besought brother Pacifico that he might do so. Brother Pacifico said: "When I am about to depart hence I will ask to kiss his hands, and when he gives them I will wink at thee, and thou wilt see". So they both came to the holy man prepared to start, and Pacifico knelt down, and said to him: "Bless us, dearest mother, and give me thy hand to kiss". He kissed the hand (unwillingly held out), and winked at the brother that he might look; then he asked for the other hand, and kissed it and showed it to him. As they were departing, S. Francis suspected that there had been a pious fraud (as was indeed the case), and immediately called brother Pacifico back, and judging such devout curiosity to be undevout said to him: "God pardon thee, brother, for thou givest me much distress sometimes". Pacifico at once fell at his feet, and humbly asked: "What distress have I given thee, dearest mother?" But S. Francis made no answer; and the incident closed in silence.