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I REPENT 59
the same words with different meanings. We are often unable to tell people what they need to know, because they want to know something else, and would therefore only misunderstand what we said. Home is ever so far away in the palm of your hand, and how to get there it is of no use to tell you. But you will get there; you must get there; you have to get there. Everybody who is not at home, has to go home. You thought you were at home where I found you : if that had been your home, you could not have left it. Nobody can leave home. And nobody ever was or ever will be at home without having gone there.'
' Enigma treading on enigma ! ' I exclaimed. I did not come here to be asked riddles.'
' No; but you came, and found the riddles waiting for you! Indeed you are yourself the only riddle. What you call riddles are truths, and seem riddles because you are not true.'
' Worse and worse !' I cried.
'And you must answer the riddles !' he continued. ' They will go on asking themselves until you understand yourself. The universe is a riddle trying to get out, and you are holding your door hard against it.'
' Will you not in pity tell me what I am to do— where I must go ? '
' How should I tell your to-do, or the way to it ? '
' If I am not to go home, at least direct me to some of my kind.'
' do not know of any. The beings most like you are in that direction.'
He pointed with his beak. I could see nothing but the setting sun, which blinded me.
' Well,' I said bitterly, I cannot help feeling hardly |
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