Атлант расправил плечи
The Moratorium on Brains
Butheshookhisheadbeforethethoughtwasfullyformed:heknewthatthiswouldforceMr.Chalmerstorecognizethenatureoftherisk;Mr.Chalmerswouldrefuse;hewouldcontinuetodemandasafeandnon-existentengine.Andmore:thiswouldmeanthathe,Mitchum,wouldhavetoassumeresponsibility,admitfullknowledgeofthedanger,standintheopenandidentifytheexactnatureofthesituation—theoneactwhichthepolicyofhissuperiorswasbasedonevading,theonekeytotheirgame.
DaveMitchumwasnotthemantorebelagainsthisbackgroundortoquestionthemoralcodeofthoseincharge.Thechoicehemadewasnottochallenge,buttofollowthepolicyofhissuperiors.BillBrentcouldhavebeatenhiminanycontestoftechnology,butherewasanendeavoratwhichhecouldbeatBillBrentwithouteffort.TherehadoncebeenasocietywheremenneededtheparticulartalentsofBillBrent,iftheywishedtosurvive;whattheyneedednowwasthetalentofDaveMitchum.
DaveMitchumsatdownathissecretary’stypewriterand,bymeansoftwofingers,carefullytypedoutanordertothetrainmasterandanothertotheroadforeman.Thefirstinstructedthetrainmastertosummonalocomotivecrewatonce,forapurposedescribedonlyas"anemergency";thesecondinstructedtheroadforemanto"sendthebestengineavailabletoWinston,tostandbyforemergencyassistance.
