Атлант расправил плечи
The Moratorium on Brains
Hehadhandedtohisattorneyasignedblankcheckandsaid,"Getmeadivorce.Onanygroundsandatanycost.Idon’tcarewhatmeansyouuse,howmanyoftheirjudgesyoupurchaseorwhetheryoufinditnecessarytostageaframe-upofmywife.Dowhateveryouwish.
Butthereistobenoalimonyandnopropertysettlement."Theattorneyhadlookedathimwiththehintofawise,sadsmile,asifthiswereaneventhehadexpectedtohappenlongago.Hehadanswered,"Okay,Hank.Itcanbedone.Butitwilltakesometime."
"Makeitasfastasyoucan."
NoonehadquestionedhimabouthissignatureontheGiftCertificate.Buthehadnoticedthatthemenatthemillslookedathimwithakindofsearchingcuriosity,almostasiftheyexpectedtofindthescarsofsomephysicaltortureonhisbody.
Hefeltnothing—nothingbutthesenseofaneven,restfultwilight,likeaspreadofslagoveramoltenmetal,whenitcrustsandswallowsthelastbrilliantspurtofthewhiteglowwithin.HefeltnothingatthethoughtofthelooterswhowerenowgoingtomanufactureReardenMetal.Hisdesiretoholdhisrighttoitandproudlytobetheonlyonetosellit,hadbeenhisformofrespectforhisfellowmen,hisbeliefthattotradewiththemwasanactofhonor.Thebelief,therespectandthedesireweregone.Hedidnotcarewhatmenmade,whattheysold,wheretheyboughthisMetalorwhetheranyofthemwouldknowthatithadbeenhis.
