Атлант расправил плечи

           You’renotsupposedtothink,"andwalkedoutoftheroom.

           TheresponsibilitythatJamesTaggartandCliftonLoceyhadevadednowrestedontheshouldersofatrembling,bewilderedboy.Hehesitated,thenhebuttressedhiscouragewiththethoughtthatonedidnotdoubtthegoodfaithandthecompetenceofrailroadexecutives.Hedidnotknowthathisvisionofarailroadanditsexecutiveswasthatofacenturyago.

           Withtheconscientiousprecisionofarailroadman,inthemomentwhenthehandoftheclockendedthehalf-hour,hesignedhisnametotheorderinstructingtheComettoproceedwithEngineNumber306,andtransmittedtheordertoWinstonStation.

           ThestationagentatWinstonshudderedwhenhelookedattheorder,buthewasnotthemantodefyauthority.Hetoldhimselfthatthetunnelwasnot,perhaps,asdangerousashethought.Hetoldhimselfthatthebestpolicy,thesedays,wasnottothink.

           WhenhehandedtheircopiesoftheordertotheconductorandtheengineeroftheComet,theconductorglancedslowlyabouttheroom,fromfacetoface,foldedtheslipofpaper,putitintohispocketandwalkedoutwithoutaword.

           Theengineerstoodlookingatthepaperforamoment,thenthrewitdownandsaid,"I’mnotgoingtodoit.Andifit’scometowherethisrailroadhandsoutorderslikethisone,I’mnotgoingtoworkforit,either.Justlistmeashavingquit.