In the midst of the park stood the villa which resembled that of Maecenas in the Sabine Hills or Cicero’s Tusculum, and was adorned with statues’ of heathen gods. The doors stood open, and there was a sound of music within. “People are not introduced to the host here,” said the Prior, “for he does not like ceremony; therefore I leave you alone now, and you must find acquaintances for yourself; surprises are always pleasant.” Luther found himself alone, and turned irresolutely to the right, where he saw a row of illuminated rooms. They were full of guests drinking and chatting, but no one noticed the poor monk, who could listen undisturbed to their conversation. In the first room a group had formed round a man who was distributing specimens of a printed book, the leaves of which people were eagerly turning. “Hylacompus? is that a pseudonym?” asked one of them. “He is a--printer called Waldseemüller in Saint-Dié.” “_Cosmographies Introductio_--a description of the New World.” “We shall at last get information about these fables of Columbus.” “Columbus will not travel any more.” “Columbus has travelled to--hell! Now it is Amerigo Vespucci’s turn.” “He is a Florentine and a fellow-countrymen.” “Well, Columbus was a Genoese.” “Look you! Rome rules the world, the known and the unknown alike! _Urbs est urbs!_ And nowadays you can meet all the nations of the world at the house of the Roman Chigi. I have, as a matter of fact, seen Turks, Mongols, Danes, and Russians here this evening.” “I should like to see a Turk! I like the Turks especially, because they have blown that rotten Byzantium to pieces--Byzantium which dared to call itself the ‘Eastern Rome.’ Now there is only one Rome!” “Do you know that our Holy Father is treating with Sultan Bajazet regarding help against Venice.” “Yes, but that is diabolical! We must at any rate act as though we were Christians.” “Act--yes; for I am not a Christian, nor are you.” “If one must have a religion, give me Islam! God is One! That is the whole of its theology; a prayer-mat is its whole liturgy.” “You have to have a washing-basin besides.” “And a harem.” “Things are certainly in a bad way with our religion. If one reads its history, it is a history of the decay of Christianity. That has been continually going on for fifteen hundred years since the days of the Apostles; soon the process of degeneration must be complete.” “And if one reads the history of the Papacy, it is the same.” “No, hush!” said a fat Cardinal, “you must let the papal throne remain till I have sat in it.” “After a Borgia, it would suit as well to have a Medici like you, and especially a son of Lorenzo the Magnificent.” “Will not the cardinals dance?” asked one, who seemed to be Chigi himself. “Yes, after supper, in the pavilion, and behind closed doors,” answered the Cardinal de Medici, “and after I have hung up the red hat.”