Атлант расправил плечи
Atlantis
Foramoment,theyheldeachother’seyes:herglancewasaquestion,hisacommand,herfacehadadefiantfrankness,hisanunrevealingseverity;sheunderstoodhispurpose,butnothismotive.Sheobeyed.Leaningonhercane,shesteppedoutofthecar,thenstooderect,facingthehouse.
ShelookedatthesilvercrestthathadcomefromamarblepalaceinSpaintoashackintheAndestoalogcabininColorado—thecrestofthemenwhowouldnotsubmit.Thedoorofthecabinwaslocked,thesundidnotreachintotheglazeddarknessbeyondthewindows,andpinebrancheshungoutstretchedabovetherooflikearmsspreadinprotection,incompassion,insolemnblessing.Withnosoundbutthesnapofatwigortheringofadropfallingsomewhereintheforestthroughlongstretchesofmoments,thesilenceseemedtoholdallthepainthathadbeenhiddenhere,butnevergivenvoice.Shestood,listeningwithagentle,resigned,unlamentingrespect:Let’sseewho’lldogreaterhonor,you—toNatTaggart,orI—toSebastiand’Anconia...
Dagny!Helpmetoremain.Torefuse.Eventhoughhe’sright!...
SheturnedtolookatGalt,knowingthathewasthemanagainstwhomshehadhadnohelptooffer.Hesatatthewheelofthecar,hehadnotfollowedherormovedtoassisther,asifhehadwantedhertoacknowledgethepastandhadrespectedtheprivacyofherlonelysalute.
