Атлант расправил плечи

           Itiseviltoearnmorethanone’sbaresustenance?Wetakenothingbutthelowliestjobsandweproduce,bytheeffortofourmuscles,nomorethanweconsumeforourimmediateneeds—withnotapennynoraninventivethoughtleftovertoharmtheworld.Itiseviltosucceed,sincesuccessismadebythestrongattheexpenseoftheweak?Wehaveceasedburdeningtheweakwithourambitionandhaveleftthemfreetoprosperwithoutus.Itiseviltobeanemployer?Wehavenoemploymenttooffer.Itiseviltoownproperty?Weownnothing.Itiseviltoenjoyone’sexistenceinthisworld?Thereisnoformofenjoymentthatweseekfromtheirworld,and—thiswashardestforustoattain—whatwenowfeelfortheirworldisthatemotionwhichtheypreachasanideaclass="underline"indifference—theblank—thezero—themarkofdeath...

           Wearegivingmeneverythingthey’veprofessedtowantandtoseekasvirtueforcenturies.Nowletthemseewhethertheywantit."

           "Itwasyouwhostartedthisstrike?"sheasked.

           "Idid."

           Hegotup,hestood,handsinpockets,hisfaceinthelight—andshesawhimsmilewiththeeasy,effortless,implacableamusementofcertainty.

           "We’veheardsomuchaboutstrikes,"hesaid,"andaboutthedependenceoftheuncommonmanuponthecommon.