Атлант расправил плечи
The Face without Pain or Fear or Guilt
Whileyou’llstruggletosaveTaggartTranscontinental,Iwillbeworkingtodestroyit.Don’teveraskmeforhelpormoney.Youknowmyreasons.Nowyoumayhateme—as,fromyourstand,youshould."
Sheraisedherheadalittle,therewasnoperceptiblechangeinherposture,itwasnomorethanherawarenessofherownbodyandofitsmeaningtohim,butforthelengthofonesentenceshestoodasawoman,thesuggestionofdefiancecomingonlyfromthefaintlystressedspacingofherwords:"Andwhatwillitdotoyou?"
Helookedather,infullunderstanding,butneitheradmittingnordenyingtheconfessionshewantedtotearfromhim."Thatisnoone’sconcernbutmine,"heanswered.
Itwasshewhoweakened,butrealized,whilesayingit,thatthiswasstillmorecrueclass="underline""Idon’thateyou.I’vetriedto,foryears,butIneverwill,nomatterwhatwedo,eitheroneofus."
"Iknowit,"hesaid,hisvoicelow,sothatshedidnothearthepain,butfeltitwithinherselfasifbydirectreflectionfromhim.
"Francisco!"shecried,indesperatedefenseofhimagainstherself.
"Howcanyoudowhatyou’redoing?"
"Bythegraceofmylove"—foryou,saidhiseyes—"fortheman,"saidhisvoice,"whodidnotperishinyourcatastropheandwhowillneverperish."
Shestoodsilentlystillforamoment,asifinrespectfulacknowledgment.
