Атлант расправил плечи

           Thensheknewthatthefirsttwosentencestheyhadsaidtoeachotherstillhungbetweenthem,fillingthesilence—thateverythingsaidsince,hadbeensaidoverthesoundofthosewords,thathehadknownit,hadheldit,hadnotletherforgetit.Shewassuddenlyawarethattheywerealone;itwasanawarenessthatstressedthefact,permittingnofurtherimplication,yetholdingthefullmeaningoftheunnamedinthatspecialstress.Theywerealoneinasilentforest,atthefootofastructurethatlookedlikeanancienttemple—andsheknewwhatritewastheproperformofworshiptobeofferedonanaltarofthatkind.

           Shefeltasuddenpressureatthebaseofherthroat,herheadleanedbackalittle,nomorethantofeelthefaintshiftofacurrentagainstherhair,butitwasasifshewerelyingbackinspace,againstthewind,consciousofnothingbuthislegsandtheshapeofhismouth.Hestoodwatchingher,hisfacestillbutforthefaintmovementofhiseyelidsdrawingnarrowasifagainsttoostrongalight.Itwaslikethebeatofthreeinstants—thiswasthefirst—andinthenext,shefeltastabofferocioustriumphattheknowledgethathiseffortandhisstrugglewerehardertoendurethanhers—and,thenhemovedhiseyesandraisedhisheadtolookattheinscriptiononthetemple.