Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/251

 THE WANDERER

It was about midnight that Zarathustra took his way over the back of the island in order to arrive early in the morning at the other shore. For there he intended to go on board a ship. For there was a good roadstead at which foreign ships liked to cast anchor. They took with them many a one who from the blissful islands desired to go over sea. Now when thus mounting the hill, Zarathustra thought on his way of his many lonely wanderings from his youth, and how many hills and mountain ridges and summits had been ascended by him.

"I am a wanderer and a mountain-climber," said he unto his heart; "I like not the plains, and it seemeth I cannot long sit still.

And whatever may become my fate and experi- ence, a wandering and a mountain-climbing will be part of it. In the end one experienceth nothing but one's self.

The time is past when accidents could happen unto me. And what could now fall unto my share that is not already mine own !

It merely returneth, it at last cometh home unto

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