Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           Hesawherlookingathim,herglancehalf-question,half-hope,andheadded,"Whenthecreedofself-immolationhasrun,foronce,itsundisguisedcourse—whenmenfindnovictimsreadytoobstructthepathofjusticeandtodeflectthefallofretributiononthemselves—whenthepreachersofself-sacrificediscoverthatthosewhoarewillingtopracticeit,havenothingtosacrifice,andthosewhohave,arenotwillinganylonger—whenmenseethatneithertheirheartsnortheirmusclescansavethem,butthemindtheydamnedisnottheretoanswertheirscreamsforhelp—whentheycollapseastheymust,asmenwithoutmind—whentheyhavenopretenseofauthorityleft,noremnantoflaw,notraceofmorality,nohope,nofoodandnowaytoobtainit—whentheycollapseandtheroadisclear—thenwe’llcomebacktorebuildtheworld."

           TheTaggartTerminal,shethought;sheheardthewordsbeatingthroughthenumbnessofhermind,asthesumofaburdenshehadnothadtimetoweigh.ThiswastheTaggartTerminal,shethought,thisroom,notthegiantconcourseinNewYork—thiswashergoal,theendoftrack,thepointbeyondthecurveoftheearthwherethetwostraightlinesofrailmetandvanished,drawingherforward—astheyhaddrawnNathanielTaggart—thiswasthegoalNathanielTaggarthadseeninthedistanceandthiswasthepointstillholdingthestraight-lineglanceofhisliftedheadabovethespiralmotionofmeninthegraniteconcourse.