Атлант расправил плечи

           It’saseriousoffenseagainstourMexicanneighbors.WhentheBoardhearsaboutit,they’llpassacoupleofnewrulingsontheOperatingDepartment,whichwillmakemysisteralittleeasiertomanage."

           "You’resmart,Jim,"shesaid.

           "I’dbettergetdressed."Hesoundedpleased.Heturnedbacktothewashbowl,addingcheerfully,"MaybeI

           will

           takeyououttonightandbuyyousomeshish-kebab."

           Thetelephonerang.

           Heliftedthereceiver.Theoperatorannouncedalong-distancecallfromMexicoCity.

           ThehystericalvoicethatcameonthewirewasthatofhispoliticalmaninMexico.

           "Icouldn’thelpit,Jim!"itgulped."Icouldn’thelpit!...Wehadnowarning,IsweartoGod,nobodysuspected,nobodysawitcoming,I’vedonemybest,youcan’tblameme,Jim,itwasaboltoutoftheblue!Thedecreecameoutthismorning,justfiveminutesago,theysprangitonuslikethat,withoutanynotice!ThegovernmentofthePeople’sStateofMexicohasnationalizedtheSanSebastiánMinesandtheSanSebastiánRailroad."

           "...and,therefore,IcanassurethegentlemenoftheBoardthatthereisnooccasionforpanic.Theeventofthismorningisaregrettabledevelopment,butIhavefullconfidence—basedonmyknowledgeoftheinnerprocessesshapingourforeignpolicyinWashington—thatourgovernmentwillnegotiateanequitablesettlementwiththegovernmentofthePeople’sStateofMexico,andthatwewillreceivefullandjustcompensationforourproperty."