Атлант расправил плечи

           Idon’tknowhowlonghestoodthere,watchingme,butwhatIrememberisthatsuddenlyhishandreachedover,sweptallmyfiguresofftheblackboardandwroteonebriefequation.AndthenInoticedhim!ThenIscreamed—becauseitwasn’tthefullanswertothemotor,butitwasthewaytoit,awayIhadn’tseen,hadn’tsuspected,butIknewwhereitled!IrememberIcried,‘Howcouldyouknowit?’—andheanswered,pointingataphotographofyourmotor,‘I’mthemanwhomadeitinthefirstplace.’Andthat’sthelastIremember,MissTaggart—Imean,thelastIrememberofmyownexistence,becauseafterthatwetalkedaboutstaticelectricityandtheconversionofenergyandthemotor."

           "Wetalkedphysicsallthewaydownhere,"saidGalt.

           "Oh,IrememberwhenyouaskedmewhetherI’dgowithyou,"saidDaniels,"whetherI’dbewillingtogoandnevercomebackandgiveupeverything...Everything?GiveupadeadInstitutethat’scrumblingbackintothejungle,giveupmyfutureasajanitor-slave-by-law,giveupWesleyMouchandDirective10-289andsub-animalcreatureswhocrawlontheirbellies,gruntingthatthereisnomind!...MissTaggart"—helaughedexultantly—"hewasaskingmewhetherI’dgivethatuptogowithhim!Hehadtoaskittwice,Icouldn’tbelieveitatfirst,Icouldn’tbelievethatanyhumanbeingwouldneedtobeaskedorwouldthinkofitasachoice.