Атлант расправил плечи

           Freedomhasbeengivenachanceandhasfailed.Therefore,morestringentcontrolsarenecessary.Sincemenareunableandunwillingtosolvetheirproblemsvoluntarily,theymustbeforcedtodoit."Hepaused,pickedupthesheetofpaper,thenaddedinalessformaltoneofvoice,"Hell,whatitcomesdowntoisthatwecanmanagetoexistasandwhereweare,butwecan’taffordtomove!Sowe’vegottostandstill.We’vegottostandstill.We’vegottomakethosebastardsstandstill!"

           Hisheaddrawnintohisshoulders,hewaslookingatthemwiththeangerofamandeclaringthatthecountry’stroubleswereapersonalaffronttohim.Somanymenseekingfavorshadbeenafraidofhimthathenowactedasifhisangerwereasolutiontoeverything,asifhisangerwereomnipotent,asifallhehadtodowastogetangry.

           Yet,facinghim,themenwhosatinasilentsemicirclebeforehisdeskwereuncertainwhetherthepresenceoffearintheroomwastheirownemotionorwhetherthehunchedfigurebehindthedeskgeneratedthepanicofacorneredrat.

           WesleyMouchhadalong,squarefaceandaflat-toppedskull,mademoresobyabrushhaircut.Hislowerlipwasapetulantbulbandthepale,brownishpupilsofhiseyeslookedliketheyolksofeggssmearedunderthenotfullytranslucentwhites.Hisfacialmusclesmovedabruptly,andthemovementvanished,havingconveyednoexpression.

           Noonehadeverseenhimsmile.