Атлант расправил плечи
Miracle metal
Thestreetswerestillempty,itmadethemlookwider,andintheluminouscleanlinessofthespringairtheyseemedtobewaitingforthepromiseofallthegreatnessthatwouldtakeformintheactivityabouttopourthroughthem.Thecalendarinthedistancesaid:May1.
Shesatdownatherdesk,smilingindefianceatthedistastefulnessofherjob.Shehatedthereportsthatshehadtofinishreading,butitwasherjob,itwasherrailroad,itwasmorning.Shelightedacigarette,thinkingthatshewouldfinishthistaskbeforebreakfast;sheturnedoffthelampandpulledthepapersforward.
TherewerereportsfromthegeneralmanagersofthefourRegionsoftheTaggartsystem,theirpagesatypewrittencryofdespairoverthebreakdownsofequipment.TherewasareportaboutawreckonthemainlinenearWinston,Colorado.TherewasthenewbudgetoftheOperatingDepartment,therevisedbudgetbasedontheraiseinrateswhichJimhadobtainedlastweek.Shetriedtochoketheexasperationofhopelessnessasshewentslowlyoverthebudget’sfigures:allthosecalculationshadbeenmadeontheassumptionthatthevolumeoffreightwouldremainunchangedandthattheraisewouldbringthemaddedrevenuebytheendoftheyear;sheknewthatthefreighttonnagewouldgoonshrinking,thattheraisewouldmakelittledifference,thatbytheendofthisyeartheirlosseswouldbegreaterthanever.
Whenshelookedupfromthepages,shesawwithasmalljoltofastonishmentthattheclocksaid9:25.
