Атлант расправил плечи

           Well,thatisthevirtueIhavewithdrawn.Letthemdiscoverthekindofdoctorsthattheirsystemwillnowproduce.Letthemdiscover,intheiroperatingroomsandhospitalwards,thatitisnotsafetoplacetheirlivesinthehandsofamanwhoselifetheyhavethrottled.Itisnotsafe,ifheisthesortofmanwhoresentsit—andstilllesssafe,ifheisthesortwhodoesn’t."

           "Iquit,"saidEllisWyatt,"becauseIdidn’twishtoserveasthecannibals’mealandtodothecooking,besides."

           "Idiscovered,"saidKenDanagger,"thatthemenIwasfightingwereimpotent.Theshiftless,thepurposeless,theirresponsible,theirrational—itwasnotIwhoneededthem,itwasnottheirstodictatetermstome,itwasnotminetoobeydemands.Iquit,toletthemdiscoverit,too."

           "Iquit,"saidQuentinDaniels,"because,iftherearedegreesofdamnation,thescientistwhoplaceshismindintheserviceofbruteforceisthelongest-rangemurdereronearth."

           Theyweresilent.SheturnedtoGalt."Andyou?"sheasked."Youwerefirst.Whatmadeyoucometoit?"

           Hechuckled,"Myrefusaltobebornwithanyoriginalsin."

           "Whatdoyoumean?"

           "Ihaveneverfeltguiltyofmyability.Ihaveneverfeltguiltyofmymind.Ihaveneverfeltguiltyofbeingaman.Iacceptednounearnedguilt,andthuswasfreetoearnandtoknowmyownvalue.