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160
SÖNYA KOVALÉVSKY
Many of the Russian women-students in Zurich,
who were afterward recalled by an imperial ukase
(being suspected of nihilistic tendencies, although they
only thought of studying in peace), had entered into
this sort of fictitious marriage with men who had
accompanied them to the universities and by mutual
agreement had then left them free to pursue
then-studies.
This kind of union, with its abstract and ulterior
motive, was very popular at the time in the circles of
Petersburg to which Sönya and her sister belonged.
Indeed, it seemed to Sönya, and to most of her friends,
a far higher conception of the marriage state than the
low and commonplace idea of a union between two
persons for the mere satisfaction of their passions, or
the purely selfish happiness of what is generally termed
a " love-match."
According to the ideal which these young people
cherished, personal happiness was altogether a
subordinate consideration. The sacrifice of self for unselfish
purposes was their noble intention, and the
development of intellect was the means by which these young
people hoped to infuse new vigor into the fatherland
they loved so dearly, and to assist its struggle from
darkness and oppression into light and freedom.
This was the passionate longing which filled the
hearts of the daughters of old aristocratic families,
hitherto educated solely to be women of the world,
future wives and mothers.
No wonder that their parents were unable to
understand them, and were hostile to this sudden bursting
into flame of the independence and determined
rebellion which had long secretly smoldered, cherished by
mysterious meetings and confabulations among the
youth of Russia. " Oh, what a happy time it was ! "
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