Атлант расправил плечи
The Immovable Movers
"YouandIwillalwaysbetheretosavethecountryfromtheconsequencesoftheiractions."Hegotup;hesaid,pacingtheoffice,"Coloradoisn’tgoingtobestopped.You’llpullitthrough.ThenDanConwaywillbeback,andothers.Allthatlunacyistemporary.Itcan’tlast.It’sdemented,soithastodefeatitself.YouandIwilljusthavetoworkalittleharderforawhile,that’sall."
Shewatchedhistallfiguremovingacrosstheoffice.Theofficesuitedhim;itcontainednothingbutthefewpiecesoffurnitureheneeded,allofthemharshlysimplifieddowntotheiressentialpurpose,allofthemexorbitantlyexpensiveinthequalityofmaterialsandtheskillofdesign.Theroomlookedlikeamotor—amotorheldwithintheglasscaseofbroadwindows.Butshenoticedoneastonishingdetail:avaseofjadethatstoodontopofafilingcabinet.Thevasewasasolid,darkgreenstonecarvedintoplainsurfaces;thetextureofitssmoothcurvesprovokedanirresistibledesiretotouchit.Itseemedstartlinginthatoffice,incongruouswiththesternnessoftherest:itwasatouchofsensuality.
"Coloradoisagreatplace,"hesaid."It’sgoingtobethegreatestinthecountry.You’renotsurethatI’mconcernedaboutit?Thatstate’sbecomingoneofmybestcustomers,asyououghttoknowifyoutaketimetoreadthereportsonyourfreighttraffic."
"Iknow.Ireadthem."
"I’vebeenthinkingofbuildingaplantthereinafewyears.Tosavethemyourtransportationcharges."Heglancedather.
