Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           Lawsonstaredblankly."Whatdoyoumeanandwhomareyoutalkingabout?"

           JamesTaggartsmiled.

           "Imeanthatthereisnowaytodisarmanyman,"saidDr.Ferris,"exceptthroughguilt.Throughthatwhichhehimselfhasacceptedasguilt.Ifamanhaseverstolenadime,youcanimposeonhimthepunishmentintendedforabankrobberandhewilltakeit.He’llbearanyformofmisery,he’llfeelthathedeservesnobetter.Ifthere’snotenoughguiltintheworld,wemustcreateit.Ifweteachamanthatit’seviltolookatspringflowersandhebelievesusandthendoesit—we’llbeabletodowhateverwepleasewithhim.Hewon’tdefendhimself.Hewon’tfeelhe’sworthit.Hewon’tfight.Butsaveusfromthemanwholivesuptohisownstandards.Saveusfromthemanofcleanconscience.He’sthemanwho’llbeatus."

           "AreyoutalkingaboutHenryRearden?"askedTaggart,hisvoicepeculiarlyclear.

           Theonenametheyhadnotwantedtopronouncestruckthemintoaninstant’ssilence.

           "WhatifIwere?"askedDr.Ferriscautiously.

           "Oh,nothing,"saidTaggart."Only,ifyouwere,IwouldtellyouthatIcandeliverHenryRearden.He’llsign."

           Bytherulesoftheirunspokenlanguage,theyallknew—fromthetoneofhisvoice—thathewasnotbluffing.

           "God,Jim!No!"gaspedWesleyMouch.

           "Yes,"saidTaggart.