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16 the miracles of antichrist
Several days after that the little maid came again
and talked to the image : " Thou poor little
Christ-child, who art no Christ-child," she said, " dost know,
that to-day I have been up in Aracoeli and seen how
the real child was carried in a procession ? They
held a canopy over it, and all the people fell on their
knees, and sang and played for it. Thou wilt never
take part in anything so grand! "
And mark well, a few days later the little maid
came again and talked to the image : " Dost thou
know, little Christ-child, who art not a real
Christ-child, that it is better for thee to be where thou art.
Because the real child is called to the sick, and it
rides to them in a golden carriage, but it cannot help
them, and they die in despair. And it is commenced
to be said that Aracoeli’s holy child has lost its
power of doing good, and that tears and prayers
have no effect upon it. It is far better for thee to
remain where thou art than to be appealed to and
not be able to help."
But the next night a miracle happened. Towards
midnight there was a violent ringing at the
monastery portal in Aracoeli. And when the porter did
not open quickly enough, it began to knock. The
raps had a sharp metallic ring and echoed through
the whole monastery. All the monks rushed at
once out of their beds. All who had been tormented
by frightful dreams rushed out, thinking that
Antichrist was come.
But when the door was opened—when the door
was opened! Who should be standing there on the
threshold but the little Christ-child? It was his
little hand that had pulled the bell-rope. It was his
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