Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           "Whereisthelandingfield?"

           "Ontheothersideofthevalley."

           "Therewasnolandingfieldinthisvalley,whenIlookeddown,Therewasnomeadow,either.Howdiditgethere?"

           Heglancedatthesky."Lookcarefully.Doyouseeanythingupthere?"

           Shedroppedherheadback,lookingstraightintothesky,seeingnothingbutthepeacefulblueofmorning.Afterawhileshedistinguishedafewfaintstripsofshimmeringair.

           "Heatwaves,"shesaid.

           "Refractorrays,"heanswered."Thevalleybottomthatyousawisamountaintopeightthousandfeethigh,fivemilesawayfromhere."

           "A...what?"

           "Amountaintopthatnoflyerwouldeverchooseforalanding.

           Whatyousawwasitsreflectionprojectedoverthisvalley."

           "How?"

           "Bythesamemethodasamirageonadesert:animagerefractedfromalayerofheatedair."

           "How?"

           "Byascreenofrayscalculatedagainsteverything—exceptacouragesuchasyours."

           "Whatdoyoumean?"

           "Ineverthoughtthatanyplanewouldattempttodropwithinsevenhundredfeetoftheground.Youhittherayscreen.Someoftheraysarethekindthatkillmagneticmotors.Well,that’sthesecondtimeyoubeatme:I’veneverbeenfollowed,either.