daughter Anna had revealed to him and restrictions even as to the number
that the old social order, with which of their male students; therefore these
he was alone familiar, was changing young women demanded permission to
with a bewildering rapidity and to an proceed to a foreign university — to
alarming extent. It was the first of Zurich or Heidelberg- there to prose-
several hard lessons which General cute their studies without let or hin-
Kroukovsky was destined to learn. drance.
He determined, however, when Sophie To most parents the idea of permit-
was seventeen, to transport his family ting their young daughters to leave
to St. Petersburg for the winter. Per-home, to travel alone, to live alone as
haps he entertained the hope that the
gaieties and distractions of the capital
would act as an antidote to the mis-
chievous influences which he had been
unable to exclude from his isolated
home in the country. If so, any such
hope proved quite illusory. At St.
Petersburg the two girls found them-
selves in the very midst of the intel-
lectual and political ferment of the
time. Madame Edgren-Leffler relates
that in later years her friend was ac-
customed to look back to this period of
her life, and to exclaim, "Ah, that was
such a happy time!" She would re-
call the sanguine hopes entertained by
herself, in common with the circle of
young enthusiasts whom she daily met,
hopes of a golden age of liberty and
enlightenment, which it was believed
was close at hand-"so near, so
sure." It was in close connection with
exalted sentiments such as these that
the demand was made by many of these
daughters of old aristocratic families,
that they should be permitted to study,
to develop their powers to the utmost,
in order that they might be devoted to
the well-being of their beloved coun-
try.

students in a foreign university town,
seemed intolerable; and the demand
was peremptorily refused. The expe-
dient to which the daughters then re-
sorted is one of the strangest that can
be imagined, and is an unmistakable
symptom of the non-natural, highly
strung, unwholesome moral and mental
condition of the community in which
it could be conceived and executed.
Rather than not attain their ends, they
were prepared to tamper with life's
gravest realities, and with its most
sacred duties and relationships. The
device they adopted was to contract a
fictitious marriage. The would-be stu-
dent selected a young man whom she
knew, or imagined to be sufficiently
"modern." To him she applied, ex-
plaining that she wished to leave home,
wished to study abroad, and she pro-
posed that he should enter into a ficti-
tious marriage with her. If he agreed,
a proposal was made in due form to
her parents, and if all went well, the
marriage ceremony was duly performed
with all the solemn ritual of the Greek
Orthodox Church. This accomplished,
the newly made wife was free from pa-
rental control, and could start forthwith
"The fact," says Mr. Mackenzie for the university of her choice. The
Wallace, writing of this time, "that pseudo-husband occasionally escorted.
very few people had clear, precise ideas her thither, and saw her safely settled,
as to what was to be done, did not pre- then took up again his own occupation,
vent, but rather tended, to increase the leaving her to follow hers. Many of
reform enthusiasm. All had at least the women students of Zurich, after-
one common feeling dislike to what wards suspected of Nihilistic tenden-
had previously existed. . . . All thirsted cies, and recalled by an imperial ukase,
for reforming activity. . . and every had adopted these "tactics character-
Russian was to act spontaneously and istic of the period," as Madame Ed-
zealously at the great work of national gren-Leffler calls them. It must not
regeneration." The universities of be assumed that these "tactics" were
Russia were not open to women, had,
indeed, till within a few years, been
under strict government surveillance,

regarded only as a hard necessity. On the contrary, in the circle of sentimentalists and un-realists, who acted and

reacted upon each other in the drawingrooms of St. Petersburg, they were regarded with much favor- were indeed "popular." To these young folks this "abstract relation" seemed 1 much more "ideal" than "the low and vulgar union between two human beings . . which is called a marriage of affection" and which in their vocabulary was equivalent to" selfish indulgence." The world had heard these sentiments before and had been laughing at them for about a couple of centuries, but they appear to have been adopted with much gravity as a revelation by these young Russians.

also of Sophie, towards both of whom she would act the part of chaperon.

They immediately set to work to discover a suitable person to assist them in their undertaking. After some consideration, they fixed upon a young professor at the university, whom they did not know personally, but hoped might prove to be in sympathy with their views. Accordingly the trio set out to interview this gentleman. They were ushered into his apartment, and found him at work. Even in Russia, and at this "ideal" period, the face of the young professor betrayed his surprise at this visit from three young The reader may judge whether the ladies, who were all strangers to him. daughters of General Kroukovsky were He rose, however, and politely relikely to remain long uninfluenced byquested them to be seated. They such surroundings as these. Anna responded to this invitation by seating seems to have become at once an un- themselves "all in a row on a long compromising partisan of the new sofa," and then a short pause ensued, theories. A young friend of hers, who about this time had married the man of her choice, was positively afraid to encounter her mingled pity and contempt." Moreover she was not long in making up her mind that she must study in a foreign university, and accordingly must be "free." Sophie greatly admired her beautiful sister, who was besides several years older than herself. She was naturally much influenced by her, and "followed her like a shadow."

Anna, on the other hand, had a warm affection for this strange, reserved little Sophie, with the short, curly, chestnut hair, and the piercing, intelligent, dark eyes, admitted her fully into her confidence, and trusted her with her plans. For Anna-together with her intimate friend, Inez - had decided that, in order to obtain freedom, they would resort to the "popular tactics." One of the twofate apparently was to decide which would contract a" fictitious" marriage. She would then be in a position to effect the deliverance of the other, and

1 "Langt mer ideela än den vulgara och laga föreningen af tva manniskor, som ej sökte nägot

annat än kanslans och sinnenas, med andra ord

egoismens tillfredsställelse, i det man kaller gifter. mal af kärlek." - Sonja Kovalevsky.

during which the professor scanned the faces of his visitors. Anna, pulling herself together, made the plunge, and, without the least trace of confusion," asked whether the professor would be good enough to assist them to carry out their wish to study in Germany or Switzerland, by " fictitiously marrying herself or Inez-Sophie was considered too young. Few professors, one would suppose, can have found themselves in a more trying situation; but this one behaved admirably, and, adopting in his turn, a perfectly matterof-fact tone, replied, "that he had not the least desire to do anything of the kind." The young ladies rose, shook hands with him, and took their leave. Abashed? Not at all. What could be more entirely business-like? and was anybody a penny the worse? Not if these fantastic girls had been contented with their first experiment, and had been willing to conclude the comedy when the first act had been played. Unhappily, they tempted fate a second time, when she was not in a mood to let them off so easily. Their next venture was not to be without results profoundly influencing the life of one of them. Anna and Inez, turning from professors to students, fixed on one with whom they had a slight acquaint.

ance, and whom they knew to be him- | unknown to any one but Anna, left the
self desirous of going to study in house. With a beating heart, and
Germany. Vladimir Kovalevsky was feeling herself to be a veritable "hero-
a young fellow of good family, and a ine of romance," she sped through the
promising student. Anna and Inez streets to the abode of Vladimir Kova-
hoped, therefore, that (whichever of levsky. Anna stood watching till she
them might be chosen) their respective disappeared from sight, and returned
parents might be induced to regard to her room to prepare for dinner
him with some favor. They agreed not, let us hope, without some misgiv-
that on this occasion there should be ings as to the wisdom of the enterprise
less formality, and that the young man into which she had thrust her little
should not be alarmed by seeing three sister. Sophie, having reached her
girls in a row on his sofa. Anna seized destination, and given two or three
the opportunity of a chance meeting feeble knocks at the door, was straight-
with him to propound her question. way ushered into Vladimir's student-
He replied that he should have much
pleasure in assisting them to carry out
their programme, with, however, one
slight alteration - he preferred to
marry Sophie !

room, who, rising to the situation,
received the breathless girl, much "as
an elder brother might have done,"
gave her a seat, took another himself,
and patiently awaited the further de-
Here was an unforeseen addition to velopment of the matter. Sophie's
their difficulties. It endangered, in- absence was not remarked until the
deed, the success of their whole proj-assembled friends were about to seat
ect; for it might be taken for granted themselves at table, when, in response
that General Kroukovsky would refuse to a question from her father, Anna
to hear a word on the subject of such replied that "Sophie had gone out."
a marriage for Sophie. This forecast"Gone out! what does that mean?
proved to be quite correct. Palibino With whom?"
"Alone. She has
might have its dangers, but it was safer left a note on her toilette table." Mid
than St. Petersburg, and the general death-like silence, the note was placed
gave orders to prepare for their imme- in the hands of the unhappy Ivan
diate return to the country. Matters, Sergeievitch. The note ran thus:
therefore, had come to a crisis, for to "Papa, forgive me. I am at Vladi-
go back to Palibino at this juncture mir's, and I implore you no longer to
would put an end to hope. "It was refuse your consent to our marriage."
now," says her biographer, "that the The host, with a murmured apology
little, timid, reserved Sophie displayed to his nearest guests, hastily left the
the strength of will and the determina- table. Shortly after, "Sonia" and her
tion which lay at the root of her char- companion heard his step on the stair-
acter. Once she had resolved on or case, and knew that their uncomfort-
willed anything, she did so with all the able tête-à-tête was ended. A few
concentrated energy of her nature, minutes later-ere his friends had
"and what she now willed was to leave finished dinner. he reappeared with
home, to continue her studies," to pro- Sophie and Vladimir.
"Allow me,"
cure the freedom of her sister and her said he, "to introduce to you my
friend (which had come to depend on daughter Sophie's fiancé." Shortly
her), and all this should be accom-after-in October, 1868- they were
plished, cost what it might.
There was not much originality Such is the "dramatic" story of Ma-
in the plan she adopted. It was the
old, well-worn one of flight from home,
and the forcing of her father's hand.
Choosing a day when a family party
was to assemble at her parents' house,
she wrapped herself in a cloak, and,

married.

dame Kovalevsky's marriage, as related by herself, long afterwards, to her friend and biographer. Is it the frigid Anglo-Saxon temperament that disposes us to assign it rather to the category of melodrama; to melodrama

of the particular school known as kindly attentions, took upon himself Transpontine? We have all the fa- most of the cares of the ménage, and miliar characteristics, the grandiose did for her various things which she sentiments, the "high falutin'," the never showed any aptitude in doing for ludicrous disproportion between ends herself. "She never,” says this stuand means, the somewhat cumbrous dent friend, "took the least trouble machinery, and the banal plot. It about her looks or her dress," and disis so difficult to take the affair seri- played much helplessness in the matter ously. We may be pardoned for of shopping. M. Kovalevsky, theredoubting whether any kind of "fic- fore, undertook her commissions, and tion" is a sound basis from which to supplied her deficiencies in these restart for the regeneration of one's spects. This division of labor told country; and whether it is really worth rather unfavorably on his studies, but while to play "such fantastic tricks be- he accepted the situation cheerfully fore High Heaven" for the sake of enough. The Russian friend who had attending lectures at any university ample opportunities for forming an upon earth. But the laughable side of opinion, admired his many good qualthe story is not the only one. It is ities. also true that these young, impressionable men and women, ignorant of life and of themselves, victims of the hysterical state of the society of which they formed a part, have a very real claim upon our pity. "Oh, Sancta simplicitas!" we exclaim, as we watch them lightly trifling with life's best and highest possibilities, and treating Nature, "that most strong-minded of strong-minded ladies," with open

scorn.

Naturally Madame Kovalevsky's unusual gifts and extremely rapid progress, drew on her the attention alike of professors and fellow-students. Her fame spread beyond the walls of the university into the little town, where the folks began to look after her as she passed to and fro, and to point her out as worthy of observation. "Sieh, sieh, das ist das Mädchen was so fleissig in die Schule geht." At the same time her simplicity and modesty won for her At any rate, for Sophie the die was the good opinion of teachers and comcast; she had obtained "freedom," rades. The friend who records her and, accordingly, after a few months, memories of these days was of opinion the young couple departed for Hei- that Sophie had much to make her delberg, enrolled themselves as stu- happy, she was so talented and sucdents at the university, and journeyed cessful, and united to her young husat once to England to spend the sum- band in such a "poetic relation," loved mer vacation. They obtained intro- with a wholly "ideal affection." ductions to several celebrities-to" When I think of all this it seems to Darwin, Huxley, Spencer, and George me that she had no reason to comEliot. Some years later, Madame plain; to me she appeared happy in Kovalevsky wrote an account of this such a noble way. And yet, when in visit to England in the Stockholm Dag- after years she looked back to and blad. talked of her youth, she always spoke of it bitterly and with regret.'

Returned to Heidelberg, they commenced their studies, Sophie taking Anna and Inez at length joined the mathematics and physics, Vladimir party at Heidelberg, but their arrival geology and paleontology. A Russian had a distinctly disturbing effect. To girl, a friend of Sophie's, who shared begin with, M. Kovalevsky gave up his her enthusiasms, and who seems to room to the new-comers, and betook have obtained her parents' permission himself with his books to another lodgto study with her, completed the group. ing. The change was perhaps not altoThe little party lived amicably, and gether an unwelcome one to him; he worked industriously. Vladimir sur- could resume his student habits, and rounded Sophie with an atmosphere of settle to his work with less chance of

her face, flushed with pleasure at his evident wonder and approval, made at that moment a friend for life in the elderly German professor; one of the truest and best friends she ever had.

For the next four years Madame Kovalevsky worked in Berlin under the direction of Weierstrasse, and stimulated doubtless by his teaching and the consciousness of her powers, she devoted herself to work of the most

interruption. But the arrangement | with her point by point through the could not be said to work well. On the paper. Great was his surprise to find one hand, there was Sophie paying every solution not only correct, but him frequent visits, and still demand- neatly put and telling. The eager little ing his assistance "in every trifle; "Russian girl, with her hat tossed off, resenting his withdrawal, his ability to and her short, curly hair tumbling over get on without her, and his cheerful contentment with "a book and a glass of tea." On the other hand were the uncompromising Anna and her friend, holding very decided views as to his deportment towards Sophie, and intimating that there must be "nothing confidential or familiar about it." The situation might be "poetic," but it was very uncomfortable and distracting; moreover, this sort of thing was not "in the bond," and M. Kovalevsky severe and incessant nature-work decided to remove himself out of the continued all day and often far into the reach of all these disturbing elements, night, to the neglect of all consideraand to complete the work for his de- tions of health, taking no thought gree in Jena, a decision which Ma- either for exercise, or food, or sleep. dame Edgren-Leffler frankly admits So hard was this life, that her friend seemed to her perfectly natural, but has recorded how she looked back to which, as she remarks, Sophie did not the old days at Heidelberg as to a lost see in the same light. She was "jeal-paradise. ous" of these studies which deprived her of his society; and in later years, when she spoke of this period of her life, her bitterest complaint was always this: "No one has ever really loved me."

After two terms spent in Heidelberg, Madame Kovalevsky, accompanied by the same faithful girl-friend, went to Berlin. The University of Berlin was not open to women, but her strong desire to carry on her studies under the direction of Professor Weierstrasse made her resolve to employ every effort to become his private pupil.

They lived an almost isolated life, Sophie showing no interest in anything but her work. "Not," says her biographer, "that she was in the least degree a blue-stocking (kvinnliga pedant), but she suffered under her peculiar social position, and was conscious of being regarded with some wonder, even by the friendly members of the Weierstrasse household. Her husband paid her a visit occasionally, but she did not introduce him, and in his absence did not speak of him. She turned to her work for distraction, and was occupied in writing the important treatises which subsequently gained her the degree of doctor in philosophy at Göttingen, when she was aroused from her absorption in abstract science by the necessity of having to deal with the concrete facts of life.

The celebrated professor, "the father of modern mathematical analysis," received her and listened to her request with unconcealed mistrust and characteristic German phlegm. He, however, consented to set her a test paper, probably as the most polite way of getting The character of Anna Kroukovsky rid of her, for he took care that its diffi- was evidently much less stable than culties should be such as would try his that of her younger sister. She had most advanced students. A week later very soon grown tired of study at Heihe was surprised to see her reappear delberg, and made use of her freedom with the simple statement that she had to proceed, without the consent or solved all his questions. Still incredu- even the knowledge of her parents, to lous, he bade her sit down, and went Paris. She had decided that it was her