Атлант расправил плечи

           "ButIseenowayout."

           "Didyoupromisethemtoagreetodestroyyourself?"

           "Theredoesn’tseemtobeanychoiceforanyofus."

           "Whatdoyoumean?"

           "Dagny,thewholeworld’sinaterriblestaterightnow.Idon’tknowwhat’swrongwithit,butsomething’sverywrong.Menhavetogettogetherandfindawayout.Butwho’stodecidewhichwaytotake,unlessit’sthemajority?Iguessthat’stheonlyfairmethodofdeciding,Idon’tseeanyother.Isupposesomebody’sgottobesacrificed.Ifitturnedouttobeme,Ihavenorighttocomplain.Theright’sontheirside.Menhavetogettogether."

           Shemadeanefforttospeakcalmly;shewastremblingwithanger."Ifthat’sthepriceofgettingtogether,thenI’llbedamnedifIwanttoliveonthesameearthwithanyhumanbeings!Iftherestofthemcansurviveonlybydestroyingus,thenwhyshouldwewishthemtosurvive?Nothingcanmakeself-immolationproper.Nothingcangivethemtherighttoturnmenintosacrificialanimals.Nothingcanmakeitmoraltodestroythebest.Onecan’tbepunishedforbeinggood.Onecan’tbepenalizedforability.Ifthatisright,thenwe’dbetterstartslaughteringoneanother,becausethereisn’tanyrightatallintheworld!"

           Hedidnotanswer.Helookedatherhelplessly.

           "Ifit’sthatkindofworld,howcanweliveinit?"sheasked.

           "Idon’tknow..."hewhispered.

           "Dan,doyoureallythinkit’sright?Inalltruth,deepdown,doyouthinkit’sright?"

           Heclosedhiseyes."No,"hesaid.