Атлант расправил плечи
The Moratorium on Brains
Hehadshownnoconcernabouttherallyuntilthisevening,whenhenoticedthattheCometwasrunningsixhourslate.
Histhreecompanionsdidnotmindhismood:theylikedhisliquor.TesterTuck,hiscampaignmanager,wasasmall,agingmanwithafacethatlookedasifithadoncebeenpunchedinandhadneverrebounded.Hewasanattorneywho,somegenerationsearlier,wouldhaverepresentedshopliftersandpeoplewhostageaccidentsonthepremisesofrichcorporations;nowhefoundthathecoulddobetterbyrepresentingmenlikeKipChalmers.
LauraBradfordwasChalmers’currentmistress;helikedherbecausehispredecessorhadbeenWesleyMouch.Shewasamovieactresswhohadforcedherwayfromcompetentfeaturedplayertoincompetentstar,notbymeansofsleepingwithstudioexecutives,butbytakingthelong-distanceshortcutofsleepingwithbureaucrats.Shetalkedeconomics,insteadofglamor,forpressinterviews,inthebelligerentlyrighteousstyleofathird-ratetabloid;hereconomicsconsistedoftheassertionthat"we’vegottohelpthepoor."
GilbertKeith-WorthingwasChalmers’guest,fornoreasonthateitherofthemcoulddiscover.HewasaBritishnovelistofworldfame,whohadbeenpopularthirtyyearsago;sincethen,nobodybotheredtoreadwhathewrote,buteverybodyacceptedhimasawalkingclassic.
Hehadbeenconsideredprofoundforutteringsuchthingsas:"Freedom?Dolet’sstoptalkingaboutfreedom.Freedomisimpossible.
