BEFORE SUNRISE 237
out ; rather sit in the abyss without a sky, than see thee, sky of light, defiled with wandering clouds !
And I often longed to fix them with the jagged gold-wires of lightning, in order to beat the kettle- drum on their kettle-womb, like a thunder-clap,
An angry kettledrum-beater, because they bereave me of thy Yea and Amen, thou sky above me ! Thou pure ! Thou bright ! Thou abyss of light ! And be- cause they bereave thee of my Yea and Amen !
For rather I love noise and lightning and the curses 9f thunder than that deliberate doubting silence of cats. And among men also I hate most all eaves- droppers and half-and-half-ones and doubting, tardy, wandering clouds.
And ' he who cannot bless shall learn how to curse ! ' this clear doctrine fell unto me from the clear sky; this star standeth on my sky even in black nights.
But I am one who blesseth and saith Yea, if thou only art round me, thou pure ! Thou bright ! Thou abyss of light ! Then I carry my Yea-saying with its blessing even into all abysses.
I have become one who blesseth and saith Yea. And for that purpose I struggled long and was a struggler, in order to get one day my hands free for blessing.
But this is my blessing: to stand above everything as its own sky, as its round roof, its azure bell and eternal security. And blessed he who blesseth thus !
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