Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           "Theyworkforyouasplumbersandlinesmen?"

           "You’dbesurprisedhowgoodtheyareatit."

           "Andtowhomhavetheyabandonedourcolleges?"

           "Tothosewho’rewantedthere."Hechuckled,"HowlongagowasitthatIbetrayedyou,MissTaggart?Notquitethreeyearsago,wasn’tit?it’stheJohnGaltLinethatIrefusedtobuildforyou.WhereisyourLinenow?Butmylineshavegrown,inthattime,fromthecoupleofmilesthatMulliganhadbuiltwhenItookover,tohundredsofmilesofpipeandwire,allwithinthespaceofthisvalley."

           Hesawtheswift,involuntarylookofeagernessonherface,thelookofacompetentperson’sappreciation;hesmiled,glancedathercompanionandsaidsoftly,"Youknow,MissTaggart,whenitcomestotheJohnGaltLine—maybeit’sIwho’vefolloweditandyouwho’rebetrayingit."

           SheglancedatGalt.Hewaswatchingherface,butshecouldreadnothinginhis.

           Astheydroveonalongtheedgeofthelake,sheasked,"You’vemappedthisroutedeliberately,haven’tyou?You’reshowingmeallthemenwhom"—shestopped,feelinginexplicablyreluctanttosayit,andsaid,instead—"whomIhavelost?"

           "I’mshowingyouallthemenwhomIhavetakenawayfromyou,"heansweredfirmly.