OF THE VISION AND THE RIDDLE 225
as man looketh into life, so deep he looketh into suffering.
But courage is the best murderer, courage that attacketh ; it murdereth even death, for it saith : ' Was that life ? Up ! Once more ! '
In such a saying is much stirring battle-music. He who hath ears to hear shall hear.
��' Halt ! Dwarf ! ' said I. ' I ! Or thou ! But I am the stronger of us two. Thou knowest not mine abyss-like thought ! Thou couldst not endure it ! '
Then came to pass what made me lighter. For the dwarf jumped from my shoulder, the curious one ! And he squatted on a stone in front of me. There happened to be a gateway where we stopped.
' Look at this gateway ! Dwarf ! ' I said further. ' It hath two faces. Two roads meet here the ends of which no one hath ever reached.
This long lane back : it stretcheth out for an eter- nity. And that long lane out there it is another eternity.
They contradict each other, these roads ; they knock each other directly on the head. And here, at this gateway, they meet. The name of the gateway stand- eth written above : " Moment."
But whoever would go along either of them and
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