Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/421

 THE UGLIEST MAN 387

up and prepared to depart. For he was shuddering unto his very bowels.

"Thou unutterable one," said he, "thou didst warn me against thy road. In thanks for that I praise mine unto thee. Behold, up that way lieth Zara- thustra's cave.

My cave is large and deep and hath many corners. There the best hidden one findeth a hiding-place. And close unto it are an hundred things to slip under and creep past, for creeping, fluttering, and leaping animals.

Thou outcast who castest thyself out, thou wilt not stay among men and human pity ? Up, act like me ! Thus thou learnest even from me. The doer alone learneth.

And speak first, and first of all, with mine animals ! The proudest animal and the wisest animal they might be the proper counsellors for us both ! "

Thus spake Zarathustra and went his way, still more thoughtful and slow than before. For he asked himself many things and did not easily know the answer.

" How poor is man after all ! " he thought in his heart. "How ugly, how rattling, how full of hidden shame !

I am told that man loveth himself. Alas, how great must that self-love be ! How much contempt hath it opposed unto it !

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