ThedayGoldmundcouldnhimselftogotowork.Asonmanyotherjoylessdays,heroamedaboutthecity.Hesawhousewivesandservantsgotomarket.Heloiteredaroundthefountainatthefishmarketandwatchedthefishvendersandtheirburlywivespraisetheirwares,watchedthempullthecoolsilveryfishoutofthebarrelsandofferthemforsale,sawthefishopentheirmouthsinpain,theirgoldeyesrigidwithfearastheyquietlygaveih,orresisteditwithfuriousdesperation.Hewasgrippedbypityfortheseanimalsandbyasadannoyahhumanbeings.Whywerepeoplesonumbandcrude,sounthinkablystupidandiive?Howcouldthosefishermenandfishwives,thosehagglingshoppershesemouths,thedeathlyfrightenedeyesandwildlyflailingtails,thegruesome,useless,desperatebattle,thisunbearabletransformationfrommysterious,miraculouslybeautifulanimals—thequietlastshiverthatranacrossthedyingskinbeforetheylaydeada—intoflattened,miserableslabsofmeatforthetablesofthosejovialpauhesepeoplesawnothing,khing,andnotiothing;nothingtouchedthem.Apracefulanimalcouldexpireuheirveryeyes,oramastercouldexpressallthehope,nobility,andsuffering,allthedarktenseanguishofhumahestatueofasaintwithshudder-indugtangibility—theysawnothing,nothingmovedthem!Theyweregay;theywerebusy,important,inahurry;theyshouted,laughed,bumpedintoeachother,madeoldjokes,screamedovertwopennies,feltfine,wereorderlycitizens,highlysatisfiedwiththemselvesandtheworld.Pigs,thatswhattheywere,filthierandvilerthanpigs!Ofcoursehehadonlytoooftenbeehem,hadfelthappyamongthem,hadpursuedtheirgirls,hadgailyeatenbakedfishfromhisplatewithoutbeinghorrified.But