Атлант расправил плечи

           Heleanedagainstthedesk,sagging,hisfacelooseandwhite.

           "Well?"heasked.

           Boylespreadhishandsouthelplessly."I’vechecked,Jim,"hesaid."It’sstraightallright:d‘Anconia’slostfifteenmilliondollarsofhisownmoneyinthosemines.No,therewasn’tanythingphonyaboutthat,hedidn’tpullanysortoftrick,heputuphisowncashandnowhe’slostit."

           "Well,what’shegoingtodoaboutit?"

           "That—Idon’tknow.Nobodydoes."

           "He’snotgoingtolethimselfberobbed,ishe?He’stoosmartforthat.Hemusthavesomethinguphissleeve."

           "Isurehopeso."

           "He’soutwittedsomeoftheslickestcombinationsofmoney-grubbersonearth.IshegoingtobetakenbyabunchofGreaserpoliticianswithadecree?Hemusthavesomethingonthem,andhe’llgetthelastword,andwemustbesuretobeinonit,too!"

           "That’suptoyou,Jim.You’rehisfriend."

           "Friendbedamned!Ihatehisguts."

           Hepressedabuttonforhissecretary.Thesecretaryentereduncertainly,lookingunhappy;hewasayoungman,nolongertooyoung,withabloodlessfaceandthewell-bredmannerofgenteelpoverty.

           "DidyougetmeanappointmentwithFranciscod‘Anconia?"snappedTaggart.

           "No,sir."

           "But,Goddamnit,Itoldyoutocallthe—"

           "Iwasn’tableto,sir.Ihavetried."

           "Well,tryagain."

           "ImeanIwasn’tabletoobtaintheappointment,Mr.Taggart."

           "Whynot?"

           "Hedeclinedit."

           "Youmeanherefusedtoseeme?"

           "Yes,sir,thatiswhatImean."