Атлант расправил плечи
The Immovable Movers
Hisfacehadthequiet,earnestlookofamanstaringataquestion.
"ThemusicofRichardHalley,"wroteacriticnextmorning,"belongstomankind.Itistheproductandtheexpressionofthegreatnessofthepeople.""Thereisaninspiringlesson,"saidaminister,"inthelifeofRichardHalley.Hehashadaterriblestruggle,butwhatdoesthatmatter?Itisproper,itisnoblethatheshouldhaveenduredsuffering,injustice,abuseatthehandsofhisbrothers—inordertoenrichtheirlivesandteachthemtoappreciatethebeautyofgreatmusic."
Onthedayaftertheopening,RichardHalleyretired.
Hegavenoexplanation.Hemerelytoldhispublishersthathiscareerwasover.Hesoldthemtherightstohisworksforamodestsum,eventhoughheknewthathisroyaltieswouldnowbringhimafortune.Hewentaway,leavingnoaddress.Itwaseightyearsago;noonehadseenhimsince.
DagnylistenedtotheFourthConcerto,herheadthrownback,hereyesclosed.Shelayhalf-stretchedacrossthecornerofacouch,herbodyrelaxedandstill;buttensionstressedtheshapeofhermouthonhermotionlessface,asensualshapedrawninlinesoflonging.
Afterawhile,sheopenedhereyes.Shenoticedthenewspapershehadthrowndownonthecouch.Shereachedforitabsently,toturnthevapidheadlinesoutofsight.Thepaperfellopen.Shesawthephotographofafacesheknew,andtheheadingofastory.Sheslammedthepagesshutandflungthemaside.
ItwasthefaceofFranciscod‘Anconia.TheheadingsaidthathehadarrivedinNewYork.
