Атлант расправил плечи
The Moratorium on Brains
Whatwouldhebeabletoprove?Towhom?Onecouldprovenothingtoatribunalthathadnostatedpolicy,nodefinedprocedure,norulesofevidence,nobindingprinciples—atribunal,suchastheUnificationBoard,thatpronouncedmenguiltyorinnocentasitsawfit,withnostandardofguiltorinnocence.
DaveMitchumknewnothingaboutthephilosophyoflaw;butheknewthatwhenacourtisnotboundbyanyrules,itisnotboundbyanyfacts,andthenahearingisnotanissueofjustice,butanissueofmen,andyourfatedependsnotonwhatyouhaveorhavenotdone,butonwhomyoudoordonotknow.HeaskedhimselfwhatchancehewouldhaveatsuchahearingagainstMr.JamesTaggart,Mr.CliftonLocey,Mr.KipChalmersandtheirpowerfulfriends.
DaveMitchumhadspenthislifeslippingaroundthenecessityofevermakingadecision;hehaddoneitbywaitingtobetoldandneverbeingcertainofanything.Allthathenowallowedintohisbrainwasalong,indignantwhineagainstinjustice.Fate,hethought,hadsingledhimoutforanunfairamountofbadluck:hewasbeingframedbyhissuperiorsontheonlygoodjobhehadeverheld.Hehadneverbeentaughttounderstandthatthemannerinwhichheobtainedthisjob,andtheframe-up,wereinextricablepartsofasinglewhole.
AshelookedatLocey’sorder,hethoughtthathecouldholdtheComet,attachMr.Chalmers’cartoanengineandsenditintothetunnel,alone.
