Атлант расправил плечи

           Doyouseehowmuchisopentoushere,onanunobstructedearth?DoyouseehowmuchIamfreetodo,toexperience,toachieve?Doyouseethatallofitispartofwhatyouaretome—asIampartofitforyou?AndifI’llseeyousmilewithadmirationatanewcoppersmelterthatIbuilt,itwillbeanotherformofwhatIfeltwhenIlayinbedbesideyou.WillIwanttosleepwithyou?Desperately.WillIenvythemanwhodoes?Sure.Butwhatdoesthatmatter?It’ssomuch—justtohaveyouhere,toloveyouandtobealive."

           Hereyeslowered,herfacestern,holdingherheadbowedasinanactofreverence,shesaidslowly,asiffulfillingasolemnpromise,"Willyouforgiveme?"

           Helookedastonished,thenchuckledgaily,remembering,andanswered,"Notyet.There’snothingtoforgive,butI’llforgiveitwhenyoujoinus."

           Herose,hedrewhertoherfeet—andwhenhisarmsclosedabouther,theirkisswasthesummationoftheirpast,itsendandtheirsealofacceptance.

           Galtturnedtothemfromacrossthelivingroom,whentheycameout.Hehadbeenstandingatawindow,lookingatthevalley—andshefeltcertainthathehadstoodthereallthattime.Shesawhiseyesstudyingtheirfaces,hisglancemovingslowlyfromonetotheother.

           HisfacerelaxedalittleatthesightofthechangeinFrancisco’s.