Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Thomas Common - 1917.djvu/96

 With my tears, go into thine isolation, my brother. I love him who seeketh to create beyond himself, and thus succumbeth.—

Thus spoke Zarathustra.

stealeth thou along so furtively in the twilight, Zarathustra? And what hideth thou so carefully under thy mantle?

Is it a treasure that hath been given thee? Or a child that hath been born thee? Or goeth thou thyself on a thief's errand, thou friend of the evil?—

Verily, my brother, said Zarathustra, it is a treasure that hath been given me: it is a little truth which I carry.

But it is naughty, like a young child; and if I hold not its mouth, it screameth too loudly.

As I went on my way alone today, at the hour when the sun declineth, there met me an old woman, and she spake thus unto my soul:

"Much has Zarathustra spoken also to us women, but never spake he to us concerning woman."

And I answered her: "Concerning woman, one should only talk unto men."

"Talk also unto me of woman," said she; "I am old enough to forget it presently."

And I obliged the old woman and spake thus unto her:

Everything in woman is a riddle, and everything in woman hath one answer—it is called pregnancy.