METROPOLIS And stopped dumb, as though alarmed. FredeT raised his head. Nothing had happened-nothing to speak of, only tbat the air which passed through the room had suddenly become audible, like a raised breath, and that it was cool, as though coming in through open doors. With a faint crackling sound the swords of flame bowed themselves. Then they stood still again. "Speak, my belovedl" said Freder's heart. Yes, now she spoke. This is what she said: "Do you want to know how the building of the Tower of Babel began, and do you want to know how it ended? I see a man who comes from the Dawn of the World. He is as beautiful as the world, a'nd has a burning heart. He loves to walk upon the mountains and to offer his breast unto the wind and to speak with the stars. He is strong and rules all creatures. He dreams of God and feels himself closely tied to him. His nights are tilled with faces. "One hallowed hour bursts his heart. The fumament is above him and his friends. 'Oh friends I Friendsl' he cries, pointing to the stars. 'Creat is the world and its Creatorl Great is manl Come, let us build a tower, the top of which reaches the skyl And when we stand on its top, and hear the stars ringing above us, then let us write our creed in golden symbols on the top of the towerl Great is the world and its creatorl And great is manl' ...And they set to, a handful of men, full of confidence, and they made bricks and dug up to the ~arth. Never have men worked more rapidly, for they all had one thought, one aim and one dream. When they rested from work in the evening each knew of what the other was thinking. They did not need speech to make themselves understood. But after some time they knew: The work was greater than their working hands. Then they enlisted new friends to their work. Then their work grew. It grew overwhelming. Then the builders sent their messengers to all four winds of the world. and enlisted Hands, working Hands for their mighty work. "The Hands came. The Hands worked for wages. The Hands did not even know what they were making. None
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