Атлант расправил плечи
The Immovable Movers
Sherealizedthatshehadalwaysfeltasenseoflight-heartedrelaxationinhispresenceandknownthathesharedit.Hewastheonlymansheknewtowhomshecouldspeakwithoutstrainoreffort.This,shethought,wasamindsherespected,anadversaryworthmatching.Yettherehadalwaysbeenanoddsenseofdistancebetweenthem,thesenseofacloseddoor;therewasanimpersonalqualityinhismanner,somethingwithinhimthatcouldnotbereached.
Hehadstoppedatthewindow.Hestoodforamoment,lookingout."Doyouknowthatthefirstloadofrailisbeingdeliveredtoyoutoday?"heasked.
"OfcourseIknowit."
"Comehere."
Sheapproachedhim.Hepointedsilently.Farinthedistance,beyondthemillstructures,shesawastringofgondolaswaitingonasiding.Thebridgeofanoverheadcranecuttheskyabovethem.Thecranewasmoving.Itshugemagnetheldaloadofrailsgluedtoadiskbythesolepowerofcontact.Therewasnotraceofsuninthegrayspreadofclouds,yettherailsglistened,asifthemetalcaughtlightoutofspace.Themetalwasagreenish-blue.Thegreatchainstoppedoveracar,descended,jerkedinabriefspasmandlefttherailsinthecar.Thecranemovedbackinmajesticindifference;itlookedlikethegiantdrawingofageometricaltheoremmovingabovethemenandtheearth.
Theystoodatthewindow,watchingsilently,intently.Shedidnotspeak,untilanotherloadofgreen-bluemetalcamemovingacrossthesky.Thenthefirstwordsshesaidwerenotaboutrail,trackoranordercompletedontime.
