Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           Thesewerethewordsandthetoneofconfidencethatshehadnotheardforyears,thiswasthemannershehadgivenupexpecting—butthestartofhersmileendedinabitterchuckle."How?"sheasked."Onahogfarm?"

           "Why,no.AtSandersAircraft."

           "Whereisit?"

           "Wheredidyouthinkitwas?InthatbuildinginNewJersey,whichTinkyHolloway’scousinboughtfrommybankruptsuccessorsbymeansofagovernmentloanandataxsuspension?Inthatbuildingwhereheproducedsixplanesthatneverleftthegroundandeightthatdid,butcrashedwithfortypassengerseach?"

           "Whereisit,then?"

           "WhereverIam."

           Hepointedacrosstheroad.Glancingdownthroughthetopsofthepinetrees,shesawtheconcreterectangleofanairfieldonthebottomofthevalley.

           "Wehaveafewplaneshereandit’smyjobtotakecareofthem,"hesaid."I’mthehogfarmerandtheairfieldattendant.I’mdoingquitewellatproducinghamandbacon,withoutthemenfromwhomIusedtobuyit.Butthosemencannotproduceairplaneswithoutme—and,withoutme,theycannotevenproducetheirhamandbacon."

           "Butyou—youhavenotbeendesigningairplanes,either."

           "No,Ihaven’t.AndIhaven’tbeenmanufacturingtheDieselenginesIoncepromisedyou.SincethetimeIsawyoulast,Ihavedesignedandmanufacturedjustonenewtractor.