Атлант расправил плечи
Account Overdrawn
Butshesawlightsinthewindowsofthecheap,garishstructuresthathadacquired,withinafewyears,theslovenlydilapidationofslumhovels;thehomesofpeoplewhohadnotmoved,thepeoplewhoneverlookedbeyondthespanofoneweek.Shesawalargenewtelevisionsetinthelightedroomofahousewithasaggingroofandcrackingwalls.ShewonderedhowlongtheyexpectedtheelectricpowercompaniesofColoradotoremaininexistence.Thensheshookherhead:thosepeoplehadneverknownthatpowercompaniesexisted.
ThemainstreetofMarshvillewaslinedbytheblackwindowsofshopsoutofbusiness.Alltheluxurystoresaregone—shethought,lookingattheirsigns;andthensheshuddered,realizingwhatthingsshenowcalledluxury,realizingtowhatextentandinwhatmannerthosethings,onceavailabletothepoorest,hadbeenluxuries:DryCleaning—ElectricalAppliances—GasStation—DrugStore—FiveandTen.Theonlyonesleftopenweregrocerystoresandsaloons.
Theplatformoftherailroadstationwascrowded.Theglaringarclightsseemedtopickitoutofthemountains,toisolateandfocusit,likeasmallstageonwhicheverymovementwasnakedtothesightoftheunseentiersrisinginthevast,encirclingnight.Peoplewerecartingluggage,bundlingtheirchildren,hagglingatticketwindows,thestifledpanicoftheirmannersuggestingthatwhattheyreallywantedtodowastofalldownonthegroundandscreamwithterror.
