Атлант расправил плечи

           ButIdamnedmybody’scapacitytoexpresswhatIfelt,Idamned,asanaffronttoher,thehighesttributeIcouldgiveher—justastheydamnmyabilitytotranslatetheworkofmymindintoReardenMetal,justastheydamnmeforthepowertotransformmattertoservemyneeds.Iacceptedtheircodeandbelieved,astheytaughtme,thatthevaluesofone’sspiritmustremainasanimpotentlonging,unexpressedinaction,untranslatedintoreality,whilethelifeofone’sbodymustbelivedinmisery,asasenseless,degradingperformance,andthosewhoattempttoenjoyitmustbebrandedasinferioranimals.

           Ibroketheircode,butIfellintothetraptheyintended,thetrapofacodedevisedtobebroken.Itooknoprideinmyrebellion,Itookitasguilt,Ididnotdamnthem,Idamnedmyself,Ididnotdamntheircode,Idamnedexistence—andIhidmyhappinessasashamefulsecret.Ishouldhaveliveditopenly,asofourright—ormadehermywife,asintruthshewas.ButIbrandedmyhappinessasevilandmadeherbearitasadisgrace.Whattheywanttodotohernow,Ididitfirst.Imadeitpossible.

           Ididit—inthenameofpityforthemostcontemptiblewomanIknow.That,too,wastheircode,andIacceptedit.Ibelievedthatonepersonowesadutytoanotherwithnopaymentforitinreturn.Ibelievedthatitwasmydutytoloveawomanwhogavemenothing,whobetrayedeverythingIlivedfor,whodemandedherhappinessatthepriceofmine.