Page:Chernyshevsky.whatistobedone.djvu/124

104 she grows more and more beautiful. She approaches Viérotchka.

"Who are you?"

"He used to call me Viéra Pavlovna; but now he always calls me 'My dear [Moï drūg].

"Ah! so this is you! that Viérotchka who fell in love with me?"

"Yes; I love you very much; but who are you?"

"I am your bridegroom's bride!"

"What bridegroom?"

"I do not know. I do not know my own bridegrooms. They know me; but it is impossible for me to know them, I have so many! You must choose one of them as a bridegroom for yourself,—only from among them, from among my bridegrooms."

"I have already chosen."

"I do not need to know his name, and I do not know them. But only choose from among them, from my bridegrooms. I want my sisters and my bridegrooms to select from amongst each other. Have you been locked up in a cellar? Have you been paralyzed?"

"I have."

"Are you free now?"

"I am."

"It is I who set you free; it is I who cured you. Remember, that there are a good many not yet freed; many not yet cured. Free them; cure them; will you?"

"I will! But what is your name? I am so anxious to know!"

"I have many names; I have various names. According as it is necessary for any one to call me, an appropriate name I give! You may call me Philanthropy [literally, love for humanity]. This is my real name; not many call me so. But you must call me so."

And Viérotchka seems to be going about in the city; here is a cellar, in the cellar young girls are locked up. Viérotchka touches the lock, the lock is unfastened. "You are free!" Out they go! Here is a room, in the room young girls are lying stricken with paralysis. "Arise!" They get up, they go out, and here they all are in the field, running and frolicking. Akh! how gay! when there are many together, it is far more lively than to be in solitude! Akh! how gay!