Атлант расправил плечи

           tolive...formine."

           Itdidnotstartleher,itseemedunastonishingandalmostunimportant,thatattheendofthelastsound,shesawthedooropeningslowly,withouthumantouch,movinginwarduponagrowingstripofdarkness.

           Inthemomentwhenanelectriclightwentoninsidethestructure,heseizedtheknobandpulledthedoorshut,itslockclickingsealedoncemore.

           "It’sasoundlock,"hesaid;hisfacewasserene."Thatsentenceisthecombinationofsoundsneededtoopenit.Idon’tmindtellingyouthissecret—becauseIknowthatyouwon’tpronouncethosewordsuntilyoumeanthemthewayIintendedthemtobemeant."

           Sheinclinedherhead."Iwon’t."

           Shefollowedhimdowntothecar,slowly,feelingsuddenlytooexhaustedtomove.Shefellbackagainsttheseat,closinghereyes,barelyhearingthesoundofthestarter.Theaccumulatedstrainandshockofhersleeplesshourshitheratonce,breakingthroughthebarrierofthetensionhernerveshadheldtodelayit.Shelaystill,unabletothink,toreactortostruggle,drainedofallemotionsbutone.

           Shedidnotspeak.Shedidnotopenhereyesuntilthecarstoppedinfrontofhishouse.

           "You’dbetterrest,"hesaid,"andgotosleeprightnow,ifyouwanttoattendMulligan’sdinnertonight."

           Shenoddedobediently.Shestaggeredtothehouse,avoidinghishelp.