Атлант расправил плечи

           "Whydon’tyoucancelit?"

           "What?"

           "Whateveritis."

           "Itisveryimportant,mydear.ItisameetingofourBoardofDirectors."

           "Oh,don’tbestuffyaboutyourdamnrailroad.It’sboring.Ihatebusinessmen.They’redull."

           Hedidnotanswer.

           Sheglancedathimslyly,andhervoiceacquiredaliveliernotewhenshedrawled,"JockBensonsaidthatyouhaveasoftsnaponthatrailroadanyway,becauseit’syoursisterwhorunsthewholeworks."

           "Oh,hedid,didhe?"

           "Ithinkthatyoursisterisawful.Ithinkit’sdisgusting—awomanactinglikeagrease-monkeyandposingaroundlikeabigexecutive.It’ssounfeminine.Whodoesshethinksheis,anyway?"

           Taggartsteppedouttothethreshold.Heleanedagainstthedoorjamb,studyingBettyPope.Therewasafaintsmileonhisface,sarcasticandconfident.Theyhad,hethought,abondincommon.

           "Itmightinterestyoutoknow,mydear,"hesaid,"thatI’mputtingtheskidsundermysisterthisafternoon."

           "No?"shesaid,interested."Really?"

           "AndthatiswhythisBoardmeetingissoimportant."

           "Areyoureallygoingtokickherout?"

           "No.That’snotnecessaryoradvisable.Ishallmerelyputherinherplace.It’sthechanceI’vebeenwaitingfor."

           "Yougotsomethingonher?Somescandal?"

           "No,no.Youwouldn’tunderstand.It’smerelythatshe’sgonetoofar,foronce,andshe’sgoingtogetslappeddown.She’spulledaninexcusablesortofstunt,withoutconsultinganybody.