Атлант расправил плечи
The Moratorium on Brains
Asthetrainstarteditscoilingascent,theysawthesmallclusterofWinston’slightsatthebottomofthedarknessbeyondtheirwindows,thenthesamedarkness,butwithredandgreenlightsbytheholeofatunnelontheupperedgeofthewindowpanes.ThelightsofWinstonkeptgrowingsmaller,eachtimetheyappeared;theblackholeofthetunnelkeptgrowinglarger.Ablackveilwentstreakingpastthewindowsattimes,dimmingthelights:itwastheheavysmokefromthecoal-burningengine.
Asthetunnelcamecloser,theysaw,ontheedgeoftheskyfartothesouth,inavoidofspaceandrock,aspotoflivingfiretwistinginthewind.Theydidnotknowwhatitwasanddidnotcaretolearn.
Itissaidthatcatastrophesareamatterofpurechance,andtherewerethosewhowouldhavesaidthatthepassengersoftheCometwerenotguiltyorresponsibleforthethingthathappenedtothem.
ThemaninBedroomA,CarNo.1,wasaprofessorofsociologywhotaughtthatindividualabilityisofnoconsequence,thatindividualeffortisfutile,thatanindividualconscienceisauselessluxury,thatthereisnoindividualmindorcharacterorachievement,thateverythingisachievedcollectively,andthatit’smassesthatcount,notmen.
ThemaninRoomette7,CarNo.
