“The first thing that I saw in the fresco was Antichrist preaching so that the rich and the mighty came and laid their treasures at his feet. “The second thing I saw was a sick man brought to Antichrist and healed by him. “The third thing I saw was a martyr proclaiming Antichrist and suffering death for him. “The fourth thing I saw in the great wall-picture was the people hastening to a great temple of peace, the spirit of evil hurled from heaven, and all men of violence killed by heaven’s thunderbolts.” “What did you think when you saw that?” asked the pope. “When I saw it, I thought: ‘That Signorelli was mad. Does he mean that in the time of Antichrist evil shall be conquered, and the earth become holy as a paradise?’” “Did you see anything else?” “The fifth thing I saw depicted in the painting was the monks and priests piled up on a big bonfire and burned. “And the sixth and last thing I saw was the Devil whispering in Antichrist’s ear, and suggesting to him how he was to act and speak.” “What did you think when you saw that?” “I said to myself: ‘That Signorelli is not mad; he is a prophet. Antichrist will certainly come in the likeness of Christ and make a paradise of the world. He will make it so beautiful that the people will forget heaven. And it will be the world’s most terrible temptation.’” “Do you understand now,” said the pope, “that there was nothing new in all that you told me? The Church has always known that Antichrist would come, armed with the virtues of Christ.” “Did you also know that he had actually come, Holy Father?” asked Father Gondo. “Could I sit here on Peter’s chair year after year without knowing that he has come?” said the pope. “I see starting a movement of the people, which burns with love for its neighbor and hates God. I see people becoming martyrs for the new hope of a happy earth. I see how they receive new joy and new courage from the words ‘Think of the earth,’ as they once found them in the words ‘Think of heaven.’ I knew that he whom Signorelli had foretold had come.” Father Gondo bowed silently. “Do you understand now wherein you did wrong?” “Holy Father, enlighten me as to my sin.” The old pope looked up. His clear eyes looked through the veil of chance which shrouds future events and saw what was hidden behind it. “Father Gondo,” he said, “that little child with whom you fought in Diamante, the child who was merciful and wonder-working like Christ, that poor, despised child who conquered you and whom you call Antichrist, do you not know who he is?” “No, Holy Father.” “And he who in Signorelli’s picture healed the sick, and softened the rich, and felled evil-doers to the earth, who transformed the earth to a paradise and tempted the people to forget heaven. Do you not know who he is?” “No, Holy Father.” “Who else can he be but the Antichristianity, socialism?” The monk looked up in terror.