what will be

pp. 42, 43; Anthem, Ayn Rand

Submitted by rien on Thu.02.19.04 10:37am

"Then the Golden One rose and walked to the hedge, as if they had heard a command in our eyes. The two other street sweepers of our brigade were a hundred paces away down the road. And we thought that International 4-8818 would not betray us, and Union 5-3992 would not understand. So we looked straight upon the Golden One, and we saw the shadows of their lashes on their white cheeks and the sparks of sun on their lips. And we said: ’You are beautiful, Liberty 5-3000.’ Their face did not move and they did not avert their eyes. Only their eyes grew wider, and there was triumph in their eyes, and it was not triumph over us, but over things we could not guess. Then they asked: ’What is your name?’ ’Equality 7-2521,’ we answered. ’You are not one of our brothers, Equality 7-2521, for we do not wish you to be.’ We cannot say what they meant, for there are no words for their meaning, but we know it without words and we knew it then. ’No,’ we answered, ’nor are you one of our [sisters].’ ’If you see us among scores of [women], will you look upon us?’ ’We shall look upon you, Liberty 5-3000, if we see you among all the [women] of the earth.’"