Атлант расправил плечи

           "Well,whatdowedonow?There’ssomethingwehadn’tprovidedfor:thefirstscab."

           "Thefirst...what?"sheasked.

           "Skipit,"saidMulligan,andlookedatGalt."Whatdowedo?"

           "Itwillbemycharge,"saidGalt."Iwillberesponsible.YoutakeQuentinDaniels."

           "Oh,he’snoproblematall.Heneedsnothingbuttogetacquaintedwiththeplace.Heseemstoknowalltherest."

           "Yes.Hehadpracticallygonethewholewaybyhimself."Hesawherwatchinghiminbewilderment,andsaid,"There’sonethingImustthankyoufor,MissTaggart:youdidpaymeacomplimentwhenyouchoseQuentinDanielsasmyunderstudy.Hewasaplausibleone."

           "Whereishe?"sheasked."Willyoutellmewhathappened?"

           "Why,Midasmetusatthelandingfield,drovemetomyhouseandtookDanielswithhim.Iwasgoingtojointhemforbreakfast,butIsawyourplanespinningandplungingforthatpasture.Iwastheclosestonetothescene."

           "Wegothereasfastaswecould,"saidMulligan."Ithoughthedeservedtogethimselfkilled—whoeverwasinthatplane.IneverdreamedthatitwasoneoftheonlytwopersonsinthewholeworldwhomI’dexempt."

           "Whoistheotherone?"sheasked.

           "HankRearden."

           Shewinced;itwaslikeasuddenblowfromanothergreatdistance.