Атлант расправил плечи
The Face without Pain or Fear or Guilt
Shedidnotknowwhatformoftorturehewasenduring,orwhathesawbeingwreckedwithinhimandkepthimselftheonlyonetosee.
Therewasnosignofpaintogiveheranywarning;helookedasifhewerejustamanwhostoodstillinthemiddleofaroom,makinghisconsciousnessabsorbafactthatitrefusedtoabsorb.Thenshenoticedthathedidnotchangehisposture,thatevenhishandshungbyhissideswiththefingershalf-bentastheyhadbeenforalongtime,itseemedtoherthatshecouldfeeltheheavynumbnessofthebloodstoppinginhisfingers—andthiswastheonlycluetohissufferingshewasabletofind,butittoldherthatthatwhichhefeltlefthimnopowertofeelanythingelse,noteventheexistenceofhisownbody.
Shewaited,herpityvanishingandbecomingrespect.
Thenshesawhiseyesmoveslowlyfromherfacedownthelengthofherbody,andsheknewthesortoftorturehewasnowchoosingtoexperience,becauseitwasaglanceofanaturehecouldnothidefromher.Sheknewthathewasseeingherasshehadbeenatseventeen,hewasseeingherwiththerivalhehated,hewasseeingthemtogetherastheywouldbenow,asighthecouldneitherendurenorresist.Shesawtheprotectionofcontroldroppingfromhisface,buthedidnotcarewhetherheletherseehisfacealiveandnaked,becausetherenowwasnothingtoreadinitexceptanunrevealingviolence,somepartofwhichresembledhatred.
