Атлант расправил плечи
The Moratorium on Brains
Hehadnotfalleninloveuntilhewaspasthisyouth;hehadbeenthirty-sixwhenhehadfoundthewomanhewanted.Hehadbeenengagedtoherforthelastfouryears;hehadhadtowait,becausehehadamothertosupportandawidowedsisterwiththreechildren.Hehadneverbeenafraidofburdens,becausehehadknownhisabilitytocarrythem,andhehadneverassumedanobligationunlesshewascertainthathecouldfulfillit.Hehadwaited,hehadsavedhismoney,andnowhehadreachedthetimewhenhefelthimselffreetobehappy.Hewastobemarriedinafewweeks,thiscomingJune.Hethoughtofit,ashesatathisdesk,lookingatDaveMitchum,butthethoughtarousednohesitation,onlyregretandadistantsadness—distant,becauseheknewthathecouldnotletitbepartofthismoment.
BillBrentknewnothingaboutepistemology;butheknewthatmanmustlivebyhisownrationalperceptionofreality,thathecannotactagainstitorescapeitorfindasubstituteforit—andthatthereisnootherwayforhimtolive.
Herosetohisfeet."It’struethatsolongasIholdthisjob,Icannotrefusetoobeyyou,"hesaid."ButIcan,ifIquit.SoI’mquitting."
"You’rewhat?"
"I’mquitting,asofthismoment.
