Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/413

 OFF DUTY

��379

��on his pots and creations, for having turned out ill, he committed a sin against good taste.

There is good taste in piety also. And at last that good taste said : ' Away with such a God ! Rather have no God, rather be a fate for one's self, rather be a fool, rather be God one's self ! ' '

"What do I hear!" said then the old pope pricking up his ears ; " O Zarathustra, thou art more pious than thou believest, with such an unbelief ! Some God within thee hath converted thee unto ungodliness.

Is it not thy piety itself that letteth thee no longer Relieve in a God ? And thine over-great honesty will one day lead thee even beyond good and evil ! Lo, what hath been reserved for thee ? Thou hast eyes and hand and mouth. They have been predestined from eternity for bestowing benedictions. One be- stoweth benedictions not with the hand alone.

Although thou wouldst have thyself the ungodliest one, I perceive, when thou art nigh, a secret, holy, and goodly smell of long benedictions. From it I feel weal and woe.

Let me be thy guest, O Zarathustra, for a single night ! Nowhere on earth do I now feel better than with thee ! "

" Amen ! So let it be ! " said Zarathustra in great astonishment. "Up there leadeth the way; there lieth the cave of Zarathustra.

Verily, with joy would I lead thee there myself,

�� �