Chapter 54: How Do We Change

Sitting at his desk in deep thought for a long while, Virak decided to take out the hidden Treatise on Equality.

He had already read all the other files, except for the Treatise on Equality, which Chris and Francis had spent their lives finishing only halfway. After reading just the first two chapters, he had sealed it away, not daring to read any further.

The light of the desk lamp shone upon the Treatise on Equality resting on the desk. Virak gazed at the notebook that bore such weighty content, and after a long while, he turned to the third chapter.

[Whoever is unwilling to see the principle of human equality should at least acknowledge the existence of a principle of civil equality. Civil equality, as I understand it, is rationally the equality of criminal, political, and civil laws, and emotionally the equality of personality, dignity, and spirit. (Note: 1)]

[In fact, if we observe most contemporary societies from a certain perspective, we will find that this civil equality has not only been established in reality but also promulgated in law. Take Bresci, for instance, appearing in the international community as a unified entity, an entity prepared to defend its rights, and therefore represented by its army. What then is the accepted principle for organizing an army? Equality. Because it can be said that all citizens are subject to military service, and every soldier has the potential to become a marshal of Bresci. Of course, I know this is not the case at all; everywhere, inequality is rampant. (Note: 1)]

[The rich can inherit their status, and true competition for courage and talent does not exist. Relying on the privilege of their parents' wealth, some people, much like the aristocracy under the old regime, graduate from school to become natural-born officers, or at least enjoy specialized education that paves the way for their promotions. On the other hand, the son of an artisan or a vineyard worker, no matter how exceptional his talent or how grand the courage endowed to him by nature, can only attain the fate of a nobody. (Note: 1)]

...

That night, Virak did not sleep.

He spent the entire night reading through the nine chapters of this unfinished work. True to his expectations, the book possessed a sort of magic: the more he read, the more questions arose, and the more questions arose, the more he was forced to continue reading in search of answers.

It was a pity that the book only reached the ninth chapter, "Three Possibilities of Inequality," and further content had not yet been written.

In the book, Chris and Francis provided a thorough analysis and understanding of equality, which opened up a whole new world for Virak. However, what he was more urgently eager to know was: how to change it?

Virak already knew how rotten and foolish the banners fluttering in current society were, but did knowing the mistake mean knowing what was right? Not at all. Did knowing the mistake mean knowing how to make things better? Still not at all.

Chris was like a doctor who had diagnosed the patient's illness, but everything stopped abruptly right there, leaving one to helplessly watch the disease worsen and lead to death. Moreover, the illness of the world was far more complex and difficult to treat than that of a single individual.

Staring at the last page for a long time, Virak noticed traces of it having been torn. On the blank page following the ninth chapter, there were impressions of words that could still be faintly seen under the light.

Upon discovering this clue, Virak quickly picked up the book and carefully observed the impressions under the lamp.

Because the characters were large, the title impression on the first line of the blank page allowed Virak to vaguely make out the words "Chapter X: How We Change."

The subsequent impressions were not distinct; only a few lines were visible before they cut off, and then the page containing the content had been torn out.

Was it torn out by Carmine?

This thought was the first to arise in Virak's mind, but he quickly dismissed it himself.

No matter which chapter's content this book contained, once published, it would cause an uproar. If it were Carmine, why would he only tear out this single page instead of destroying the entire book outright?

It was obvious that Chris had torn it out himself. As for why he tore it out, looking at the content that consisted of only a few lines, Virak understood in his heart.

Chris himself did not know how to change the current situation either.

Chris and Francis, whom Virak was gradually coming to revere as bearers of truth, were actually still in the exploratory stage. While holding protest marches, organizing the Equality Society to pool their strength, and writing books about equality for the general public, they were simultaneously carving a path forward amidst despair.

Virak remained silent and closed the book.

The answers he wanted to know were also what Chris and them wanted to know; it was just that everyone was still searching.

Even Chris and the others did not know yet, Virak thought with a growing sense of pessimism. Perhaps some things would never have an answer, and without a correct answer, how could one presume to declare the current system wrong?

After hiding the Treatise on Equality once more, Virak lay down on the bed.

By this time, dawn was breaking. He stared wide-eyed at the ceiling, lost in a daze.

He was baffled.

Why on earth were there people like Chris in this world?

That Chris would give up a life of luxury to fight for rights on behalf of the underclass people like them, who were never valued—that much Virak could understand; it was a form of greatness.

Yet, to risk one's life to do something when one did not even know what the answer was—Virak could not comprehend why Chris would do such a thing. He desperately wanted to meet Chris and ask him: What is this all for? When you don't even know what the answer is, why bother doing it?

As he thought on, a wave of exhaustion washed over him. Virak did not want his fatigue to be noticed by others while having breakfast, so he forced himself to stop thinking, cleared his mind, and fell asleep.

On August 1st, Tuesday morning, Virak—who had not slept for long—was awakened by a servant. After having breakfast with the Thomas family, he returned to his bedroom once more.

Although the crisis had been resolved, Carmine had no intention of arranging for Virak to go out and move about again. Virak did not dare to inquire rashly either, fearing it would arouse Carmine's vigilance.

Now, even meeting Daniel was not easy. Virak received no external information whatsoever, and thus could do nothing.

With nothing to do, the first thing Virak did upon returning to his room was to catch up on sleep. He slept all the way until high noon. After lunch, the drowsiness had completely faded, leaving him without even the simplest way to pass the time.

He did not know when it had started, but he could no longer endure this life that had once seemed so comfortable.

Standing by the window in a daze for a long time, Virak acted on a sudden impulse, took out the Treatise on Equality once more, flipped to the end of the ninth chapter, and repeatedly read those deeper questions raised by Chris in his final writings.

After reading for a long time, Virak raised his head to check the time, surprised to find that more than an hour had already passed.

He wanted to know the answer far too badly.

And so, driven by an inexplicable impulse, he picked up his fountain pen and rewrote that title over the word impressions on the blank page.

[Chapter X: How Do We Change?]

——

Note 1: Content adapted and revised from "On Equality" by Pierre Leroux