Атлант расправил плечи

           Theywereminiaturedisksofshininggold,smallerthanpennies,thekindthathadnotbeenincirculationsincethedaysofNatTaggart;theyboretheheadoftheStatueofLibertyononeside,thewords"UnitedStatesofAmerica—OneDollar"ontheother,butthedatesstampeduponthemwereofthepasttwoyears.

           "That’sthemoneyweusehere,"hesaid."It’smintedbyMidasMulligan."

           "But...onwhoseauthority?"

           "That’sstatedonthecoin—onbothsidesofit."

           "Whatdoyouuseforsmallchange?"

           "Mulliganmintsthat,too,insilver.Wedon’tacceptanyothercurrencyinthisvalley.Weacceptnothingbutobjectivevalues."

           Shewasstudyingthecoins."Thislookslike...likesomethingfromthefirstmorningintheageofmyancestors."

           Hepointedatthevalley,"Yes,doesn’tit?"

           Shesatlookingatthetwothin,delicate,almostweightlessdropsofgoldinthepalmofherhand,knowingthatthewholeoftheTaggartTranscontinentalsystemhadresteduponthem,thatthishadbeenthekeystonesupportingallthekeystones,allthearches,allthegirdersoftheTaggarttrack,theTaggartBridge,theTaggartBuilding...Sheshookherheadandslippedthecoinsbackintohishand.

           "You’renotmakingiteasierforme,"shesaid,hervoicelow.

           "I’mmakingitashardaspossible.