Атлант расправил плечи
The Utopia of Greed
Ilookedpasttheprofitsofthemoment,andIsawthattheharderIworked,themoreItightenedthenoosearoundmythroat,Isawthatmyenergywasbeingpoureddownasewer,thattheparasiteswhofedonmewerebeingfeduponintheirturn,thattheywerecaughtintheirowntrap—andthattherewasnoreasonforit,noanswerknowntoanyone,thatthesewerpipesoftheworld,drainingitsproductiveblood,ledintosomedankfognobodyhaddaredtopierce,whilepeoplemerelyshruggedandsaidthatlifeonearthcouldbenothingbutevil.AndthenIsawthatthewholeindustrialestablishmentoftheworld,withallofitsmagnificentmachinery,itsthousand-tonfurnaces,itstransatlanticcables,itsmahoganyoffices,itsstockexchanges,itsblazingelectricsigns,itspower,itswealth—allofitwasrun,notbybankersandboardsofdirectors,butbyanyunshavedhumanitarianinanybasementbeerjoint,byanyfacepudgywithmalice,whopreachedthatvirtuemustbepenalizedforbeingvirtue,thatthepurposeofabilityistoserveincompetence,thatmanhasnorighttoexistexceptforthesakeofothers...Iknewit.Isawnowaytofightit.Johnfoundtheway.Therewerejustthetwoofuswithhim,thenightwhenwecametoNewYorkinanswertohiscall,RagnarandI.Hetolduswhatwehadtodoandwhatsortofmenwehadtoreach.HehadquittheTwentiethCentury.Hewaslivinginagarretinaslumneighborhood.Hesteppedtothewindowandpointedattheskyscrapersofthecity.
