Атлант расправил плечи

           "What,then,istheirs?"

           Whyhadtheworldacceptedit?—hethought.Howhadthevictimscometosanctionacodethatpronouncedthemguiltyofthefactofexisting?...Andthentheviolenceofaninnerblowbecamethetotalstillnessofhisbodyashesatlookingatasuddenvision:Hadn’thedoneitalso?Hadn’thegivenhissanctiontothecodeofselfdamnation?Dagny—hethought—andthedepthoftheirfeelingforeachother...theblackmailfromwhichthedepravedwouldbeimmune...hadn’the,too,oncecalleditdepravity?Hadn’thebeenfirsttothrowatheralltheinsultswhichthehumanscumwasnowthreateningtothrowatherinpublic?Hadn’theacceptedasguiltthehighesthappinesshehadeverfound?

           "Youwhowon’tallowonepercentofimpurityintoanalloyofmetal,"theunforgottenvoicewassayingtohim,"whathaveyouallowedintoyourmoralcode?"

           "Well,Mr.Rearden?"saidthevoiceofDr.Ferris."Doyouunderstandmenow?DowegettheMetalordowemakeapublicshowplaceoutofMissTaggart’sbedroom?"

           HewasnotseeingDr.Ferris.Hewasseeing—intheviolentclaritythatwaslikeaspotlighttearingeveryriddleopentohim—thedayhemetDagnyforthefirsttime.

           ItwasafewmonthsaftershehadbecomeVice-PresidentofTaggartTranscontinental.Hehadbeenhearingskeptically,forsometime,therumorsthattherailroadwasrunbyJimTaggart’ssister.