the demonstrations that forced the king away from his palace at Versailles.
Women’s groups were formed in Paris. In addition to the demand for the
same political rights as men, they also demanded changes in the marriage
laws and in women’s social conditions.”
“Did they get equal rights?”
“No. Just as on so many subsequent occasions, the question of
women’s rights was exploited in the heat of the struggle, but as soon as things
fell into place in a new regime, the old male-dominated society was re-
introduced.”
“Typical!”
“One of those who fought hardest for the rights of women during the
French Revolution was Olympe de Gouges. In 1791—two years after the
revolution—she published a declaration on the rights of women. The dec-
laration on the rights of the citizen had not included any article on women’s
natural rights. Olympe de Gouges now demanded all the same rights for
women as for men.”
“What happened?”
“She was beheaded in 1793. And all political activity for women was
banned.”
“How shameful!”
“It was not until the nineteenth century that feminism really got under
way, not only in France but also in the rest of Europe. Little by little this
struggle began to bear fruit. But in Norway, for example, women did not get
the right to vote until 1913. And women in many parts of the world still have a
lot to fight for.”
“They can count on my support.”
Alberto sat looking across at the lake. After a minute or two he said:
“That was more or less what I wanted to say about the Enlightenment.”
“What do you mean by more or less?”
“I have the feeling there won’t be any more.”
But as he said this, something began to happen in the middle of the
lake. Something was bubbling up from the depths. A huge and hideous
creature rose from the surface.
“A sea serpent!” cried Sophie.
The dark monster coiled itself back and forth a few times and then
disappeared back into the depths. The water was as still as before.
Alberto had turned away.
“Now we’ll go inside,” he said.
They went into the little hut.
Sophie stood looking at the two pictures of Berkeley and Bjerkely. She
pointed to the picture of Bjerkely and said:
“I think Hilde lives somewhere inside that picture.”
An embroidered sampler now hung between the two pictures. It read:
LIBERTY, EQUALITY AND FRATERNITY.
Sophie turned to Alberto: “Did you hang that there?”
He just shook his head with a disconsolate expression.
Then Sophie discovered a small envelope on the mantelpiece. “To Hilde
and Sophie,” it said. Sophie knew at once who it was from, but it was a new
turn of events that he had begun to count on her.
She opened the letter and read aloud: