"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." (Oscar W.) "There is no sin
except stupidity." (ibid.) "When people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong." (ibid.)
THE DISCIPLE When Narcissus died the pool of his pleasure changed from a cup of sweet waters into a cup
of salt tears, and the Oreads came weeping through the woodland that they might sing to the pool and give it comfort.
And when they saw that the pool had changed from a cup of sweet waters into a cup of salt tears, they loosened
the green tresses of their hair and cried to the pool and said, 'We do not wonder that you should mourn in this
manner for Narcissus, so beautiful was he.' 'But was Narcissus beautiful?' said the pool. 'Who should know
that better than you?' answered the Oreads. 'Us did he ever pass by, but you he sought for, and would lie on your
banks and look down at you, and in the mirror of your waters he would mirror his own beauty.' And the pool
answered, 'But I loved Narcissus because, as he lay on my banks and looked down at me, in the mirror of his eyes I saw
ever my own beauty mirrored.' (ibid.)
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