Атлант расправил плечи
The Moratorium on Brains
Hehadbeenunabletoexplainthatthebruisedconnectionsofhismindhadformedthewordlessconclusionthatifthiswasdonebythewillofthepeople,thenthepeoplehadtoknowit;hecouldnotbelievethattheywoulddoit,iftheyknew.Theeditorhadrefused;hehadstatedthatitwouldbebadforthecountry’smorale.
Thetrainmasterknewnothingaboutpoliticalphilosophy;butheknewthatthathadbeenthemomentwhenhelostallconcernforthelifeordeathofanyhumanbeingorofthecountry.
Hethought,holdingthetelephonereceiver,thatmaybeheshouldwarnthemenwhomhewasabouttocall.Theytrustedhim;itwouldneveroccurtothemthathecouldknowinglysendthemtotheirdeath.
Butheshookhishead:thiswasonlyanoldthought,lastyear’sthought,aremnantofthetimewhenhehadtrustedthem,too.Itdidnotmatternow.Hisbrainworkedslowly,asifheweredragginghisthoughtsthroughavacuumwherenoemotionrespondedtospurthemon;hethoughtthattherewouldbetroubleifhewarnedanyone,therewouldbesomesortoffightanditwashewhohadtomakesomegreatefforttostartit.Hehadforgottenwhatitwasthatonestartedthissortoffightfor.Truth?Justice?Brother-love?Hedidnotwanttomakeaneffort.Hewasverytired.Ifhewarnedallthemenonhislist,hethought,therewouldbenoonetorunthatengine,sohewouldsavetwolivesandalsothreehundredlivesaboardtheComet.
