Атлант расправил плечи
The Utopia of Greed
"I’mabusinessmanandIneverdoanythingwithoutpayment.You’vepaidme.DoyouseewhyIwantedtoplayforyoutonight?"
Sheraisedherhead.Hestoodinthemiddleofhislivingroom,theywerealone,withthewindowopentothesummernight,tothedarktreesonalongsweepofledgesdescendingtowardtheglitterofthevalley’sdistantlights.
"MissTaggart,howmanypeoplearetheretowhommyworkmeansasmuchasitdoestoyou?"
"Notmany,"sheansweredsimply,neitherasboastnorflattery,butasanimpersonaltributetotheexactingvaluesinvolved.
"ThatisthepaymentIdemand.Notmanycanaffordit.Idon’tmeanyourenjoyment,Idon’tmeanyouremotion—emotionsbedamned!—Imeanyourunderstandingandthefactthatyourenjoymentwasofthesamenatureasmine,thatitcamefromthesamesource:fromyourintelligence,fromtheconsciousjudgmentofamindabletojudgemyworkbythestandardofthesamevaluesthatwenttowriteit—Imean,notthefactthatyoufelt,butthatyoufeltwhatIwishedyoutofeel,notthefactthatyouadmiremywork,butthatyouadmireitforthethingsIwishedtobeadmired."Hechuckled.
"There’sonlyonepassioninmostartistsmoreviolentthantheirdesireforadmiration:theirfearofidentifyingthenatureofsuchadmirationastheydoreceive.Butit’safearI’venevershared.IdonotfoolmyselfaboutmyworkortheresponseIseek—Ivaluebothtoohighly.
