第140章

第140章“whatofit?ithink,thatis,itismyownpersonalconvictionthatthisisthenormalconditionofwomen.whynot?imean,distinguons.inourpresentsocietyitisnotaltogethernormal,becauseitiscompulsory,butinthefuturesocietyitwillbeperfectlynormal,becauseitwillbevoluntary.evenasitis,shewasquiteright:shewassufferingandthatwasherasset,sotospeak,hercapitalwhichshehadaperfectrighttodisposeof.ofcourse,inthefuturesocietytherewillbenoneedofassets,butherpartwillhaveanothersignificance,rationalandinharmonywithherenvironment.astosofyasemyonovnapersonally,iregardheractionasavigorousprotestagainsttheorganisationofsociety,andirespectherdeeplyforit;irejoiceindeedwhenilookather!”

“iwastoldthatyougotherturnedoutoftheselodgings.”

lebeziatnikovwasenraged.

“that’sanotherslander,”heyelled.“itwasnotsoatall!thatwasallkaterinaivanovna’sinvention,forshedidnotunderstand!andinevermadelovetosofyasemyonovna!iwassimplydevelopingher,entirelydisinterestedly,tryingtorousehertoprotest.…alliwantedwasherprotestandsofyasemyonovnacouldnothaveremainedhereanyway!”

“haveyouaskedhertojoinyourcommunity?”

“youkeeponlaughingandveryinappropriately,allowmetotellyou.youdon’tunderstand!thereisnosuchroleinacommunity.thecommunityisestablishedthatthereshouldbenosuchroles.inacommunity,sucharoleisessentiallytransformedandwhatisstupidhereissensiblethere,what,underpresentconditions,isunnaturalbecomesperfectlynaturalinthecommunity.italldependsontheenvironment.it’salltheenvironmentandmanhimselfisnothing.andiamongoodtermswithsofyasemyonovnatothisday,whichisaproofthatsheneverregardedmeashavingwrongedher.iamtryingnowtoattracthertothecommunity,butonquite,quiteadifferentfooting.whatareyoulaughingat?wearetryingtoestablishacommunityofourown,aspecialone,onabroaderbasis.wehavegonefurtherinourconvictions.werejectmore!andmeanwhilei’mstilldevelopingsofyasemyonovna.shehasabeautiful,beautifulcharacter!”

“andyoutakeadvantageofherfinecharacter,eh?he-he!”

“no,no!oh,no!onthecontrary.”

“oh,onthecontrary!he-he-he!aqueerthingtosay!”

“believeme!whyshouldidisguiseit?infact,ifeelitstrangemyselfhowtimid,chasteandmodernsheiswithme!”

“andyou,ofcourse,aredevelopingher…he-he!tryingtoprovetoherthatallthatmodestyisnonsense?”

“notatall,notatall!howcoarsely,howstupidly—excusemesayingso—youmisunderstandtheworddevelopment!goodheavens,how…crudeyoustillare!wearestrivingforthefreedomofwomenandyouhaveonlyoneideainyourhead.…settingasidethegeneralquestionofchastityandfemininemodestyasuselessinthemselvesandindeedprejudices,ifullyacceptherchastitywithme,becausethat’sforhertodecide.ofcourseifsheweretotellmeherselfthatshewantedme,ishouldthinkmyselfverylucky,becauseilikethegirlverymuch;butasitis,noonehasevertreatedhermorecourteouslythani,withmorerespectforherdignity…iwaitinhopes,that’sall!”

“youhadmuchbettermakeherapresentofsomething.ibetyouneverthoughtofthat.”

“youdon’tunderstand,asi’vetoldyoualready!ofcourse,sheisinsuchaposition,butit’sanotherquestion.quiteanotherquestion!yousimplydespiseher.seeingafactwhichyoumistakenlyconsiderdeservingofcontempt,yourefusetotakeahumaneviewofafellowcreature.youdon’tknowwhatacharactersheis!iamonlysorrythatoflateshehasquitegivenupreadingandborrowingbooks.iusedtolendthemtoher.iamsorry,too,thatwithalltheenergyandresolutioninprotesting—whichshehasalreadyshownonce—shehaslittleself-reliance,little,sotosay,independence,soastobreakfreefromcertainprejudicesandcertainfoolishideas.yetshethoroughlyunderstandssomequestions,forinstanceaboutkissingofhands,thatis,thatit’saninsulttoawomanforamantokissherhand,becauseit’sasignofinequality.wehadadebateaboutitandidescribedittoher.shelistenedattentivelytoanaccountoftheworkmen’sassociationsinfrance,too.nowiamexplainingthequestionofcomingintotheroominthefuturesociety.”

“andwhat’sthat,pray?”

“wehadadebatelatelyonthequestion:hasamemberofthecommunitytherighttoenteranothermember’sroom,whethermanorwoman,atanytime…andwedecidedthathehas!”

“itmightbeataninconvenientmoment,he-he!”

lebeziatnikovwasreallyangry.

“youarealwaysthinkingofsomethingunpleasant,”hecriedwithaversion.“tfoo!howvexediamthatwheniwasexpoundingoursystem,ireferredprematurelytothequestionofpersonalprivacy!it’salwaysastumbling-blocktopeoplelikeyou,theyturnitintoridiculebeforetheyunderstandit.andhowproudtheyareofit,too!tfoo!i’veoftenmaintainedthatthatquestionshouldnotbeapproachedbyanovicetillhehasafirmfaithinthesystem.andtellme,please,whatdoyoufindsoshamefulevenincesspools?ishouldbethefirsttobereadytocleanoutanycesspoolyoulike.andit’snotaquestionofself-sacrifice,it’ssimplywork,honourable,usefulworkwhichisasgoodasanyotherandmuchbetterthantheworkofaraphaelandapushkin,becauseitismoreuseful.”

“andmorehonourable,morehonourable,he-he-he!”

“whatdoyoumeanby‘morehonourable’?idon’tunderstandsuchexpressionstodescribehumanactivity.‘morehonourable,’‘nobler’—allthoseareold-fashionedprejudiceswhichireject.everythingwhichisofusetomankindishonourable.ionlyunderstandoneword:useful!youcanerasmuchasyoulike,butthat’sso!”