Атлант расправил плечи

           "Wecan’tletthingsgothewaythey’regoingmuchlonger."

           Hisvoicewasbelligerentandshaky.

           "Takeiteasy,Jim,"saidOrrenBoyle.

           "Something’sgottobedoneanddonefast!"

           "Don’tlookatme,"snappedWesleyMouch."Ican’thelpit.Ican’thelpitifpeoplerefusetoco-operate.I’mtied.Ineedwiderpowers."

           MouchhadsummonedthemalltoWashington,ashisfriendsandpersonaladvisers,foraprivate,unofficialconferenceonthenationalcrisis.But,watchinghim,theywereunabletodecidewhetherhismannerwasoverbearingorwhining,whetherhewasthreateningthemorpleadingfortheirhelp.

           "Factis,"saidMr.Weatherbyprimly,inastatisticaltoneofvoice,"thatinthetwelve-monthperiodendingonthefirstofthisyear,therateofbusinessfailureshasdoubled,ascomparedwiththeprecedingtwelve-monthperiod.Sincethefirstofthisyear,ithastrebled."

           "Besuretheythinkit’stheirownfault,"saidDr.Ferriscasually.

           "Huh?"saidWesleyMouch,hiseyesdartingtoFerris.

           "Whateveryoudo,don’tapologize,"saidDr.Ferris."Makethemfeelguilty."

           "I’mnotapologizing!"snappedMouch."I’mnottoblame.Ineedwiderpowers."

           "Butitistheirownfault,"saidEugeneLawson,turningaggressivelytoDr.Ferris."It’stheirlackofsocialspirit.