Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/51

 ZARATHUSTRA S INTRODUCTORY SPEECH I/

town or to-morrow I jump over thee, a living over a dead one." Having so said the man dis- appeared, whilst Zarathustra went on through the dark lanes.

At the gate of the town he met the grave-diggers. They flared their torch in his face and recognising Zarathustra mocked him. " Zarathustra is carrying off the dead dog : well that Zarathustra hath turned grave- digger! For our hands are too clean for this roast. Perhaps Zarathustra means to steal from the devil his bite ? Go on ! And much luck to the din- ner! We are afraid the devil will be a better thief than Zarathustra ! he stealeth both of them, he eateth both ! " And putting their heads together they laughed.

Zarathustra saying no word in answer went his way. Journeying two hours through forests and swamps, he heard the hungry howling of the wolves and felt hungry himself. So he stopped at a lonely house in which a light was burning.

" Hunger surpriseth me," said Zarathustra, " like a robber. Amid forests and swamps in the depth of the night my hunger surpriseth me.

My hunger hath odd fancies. Frequently it appear- eth only after dinner, and to-day it did not appear all day : where was it ? "

And then Zarathustra knocked at the door of the house. Very soon an old man came carrying a c

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