Атлант расправил плечи

           "You’llloseanawfullotofsteelfreight,ifIdo."

           "Goahead.I’llbesatisfiedwithcarryingyoursupplies,andthegroceriesforyourworkers,andthefreightofthefactoriesthatwillfollowyouthere—andperhapsIwon’thavetimetonoticethatI’velostyoursteel....Whatareyoulaughingat?"

           "It’swonderful."

           "What?"

           "Thewayyoudon’treactaseverybodyelsedoesnowadays."

           "Still,Imustadmitthatforthetimebeingyou’rethemostimportantsingleshipperofTaggartTranscontinental."

           "Don’tyousupposeIknowit?"

           "SoIcan’tunderstandwhyJim—"Shestopped.

           "—trieshisbesttoharmmybusiness?BecauseyourbrotherJimisafool."

           "Heis.Butit’smorethanthat.There’ssomethingworsethanstupidityaboutit."

           "Don’twastetimetryingtofigurehimout.Lethimspit.He’snodangertoanyone.PeoplelikeJimTaggartjustclutteruptheworld."

           "Isupposeso."

           "Incidentally,whatwouldyouhavedoneifI’dsaidIcouldn’tdeliveryourrailssooner?"

           "Iwouldhavetornupsidingsorclosedsomebranchline,anybranchline,andIwouldhaveusedtherailtofinishtheRioNortetrackontime."

           Hechuckled."That’swhyI’mnotworriedaboutTaggartTranscontinental.Butyouwon’thavetostartgettingrailoutofoldsidings.NotsolongasI’minbusiness."

           Shethoughtsuddenlythatshewaswrongabouthislackofemotion:thehiddenundertoneofhismannerwasenjoyment.