Гимн
Part One
Nothingmatterssavethework,oursecret,ourevil,ourpreciouswork.Still,wemustalsowrite,for—maytheCouncilhavemercyuponus!—wewishtospeakforoncetonoearsbutourown.
OurnameisEquality7-2521,asitiswrittenontheironbraceletwhichallmenwearontheirleftwristswiththeirnamesuponit.Wearetwenty-oneyearsold.Wearesixfeettall,andthisisaburden,fortherearenotmanymenwhoaresixfeettall.EverhavetheTeachersandtheLeaderspointedtousandfrownedandsaid:
“Thereisevilinyourbones,Equality7-2521,foryourbodyhasgrownbeyondthebodiesofyourbrothers.”Butwecannotchangeourbonesnorourbody.
Wewerebornwithacurse.Ithasalwaysdrivenustothoughtswhichareforbidden.Ithasalwaysgivenuswisheswhichmenmaynotwish.Weknowthatweareevil,butthereisnowillinusandnopowertoresistit.Thisisourwonderandoursecretfear,thatweknowanddonotresist.
Westrivetobelikeallourbrothermen,forallmenmustbealike.OvertheportalsofthePalaceoftheWorldCouncil,therearewordscutinthemarble,whichwerepeattoourselveswheneverwearetempted:
“WEAREONEINALLANDALLINONE.
THEREARENOMENBUTONLYTHEGREATWE,
ONE,INDIVISIBLEANDFOREVER.”
Werepeatthistoourselves,butithelpsusnot.
Thesewordswerecutlongago.Thereisgreenmouldinthegroovesofthelettersandyellowstreaksonthemarble,whichcomefrommoreyearsthanmencouldcount.Andthesewordsarethetruth,fortheyarewrittenonthePalaceoftheWorldCouncil,andtheWorldCouncilisthebodyofalltruth.
