Міжзірковий мандрівник
Chapter 21
Equippedwiththismodernknowledge,Ihave,returningthroughthelittledeathfrommyearlierlives,beenabletocomparetheheavensthenandnow.Andthestarsdochange.Ihaveseenpolestarsandpolestarsanddynastiesofpolestars.Thepolestarto-dayisinUrsaMinor.Yet,inthosefardaysIhaveseenthepolestarinDraco,inHercules,inVega,inCygnus,andinCepheus.No;noteventhestarsabide,andyetthememoryandtheknowledgeofthemabidesinme,inthespiritofmethatismemoryandthatiseternal.Onlyspiritabides.Allelse,beingmerematter,passes,andmustpass.
Oh,Idoseemyselfto-daythatonemanwhoappearedintheelderworld,blonde,ferocious,akillerandalover,ameat-eaterandaroot-digger,agypsyandarobber,who,clubinhand,throughmillenniumsofyearswanderedtheworldaroundseekingmeattodevourandshelterednestsforhisyounglingsandsucklings.
Iamthatman,thesumofhim,theallofhim,thehairlessbipedwhostruggledupwardfromtheslimeandcreatedloveandlawoutoftheanarchyoffecundlifethatscreamedandsqualledinthejungle.Iamallthatthatmanwasanddidbecome.
