doorkeeper, n.All

The Doorkeeper (n.) calls ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠'insatiable' the dying man who, after a lifetime of waiting, has one last question.

A Doorkeeper (n.) by ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠profession stands with his back to the entrance — so at the end it is the man, not he, who sees the radiance.

A Doorkeeper (n.) may ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠have been named to his post by a shout from within, without ever having gone far inside.

A Doorkeeper (n.) may ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be the one deceived: he knows not the interior of the Law but only the path he patrols before it, and fears more than the man the very thing with which he frightens him.

A Doorkeeper (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠posted by our conscience, not our pride: we live so that being suddenly seen is the same as being caught in the act.

A Doorkeeper (n.) before ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the Law says “It's possible, but not now” — the gate stands open as always, and he is only the lowest; from hall to hall stand others each more powerful, the third unbearable even for him to see.

A Doorkeeper (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠so conscientious he can't be bribed — he takes the gift only so the man won't think he's neglected something — yet simplemindedness and presumption are breaches in his character.

The Doorkeeper (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a servant of the Law and belongs to it, beyond human judgment; to be bound by office even at its entrance is incomparably better than to live freely in the world, and to doubt his dignity is to doubt the Law itself.