Атлант расправил плечи

           Actually,hewasthesonofagas-stationmechanicatsomeforsakencrossroadsinOhio,andhehadlefthomeattheageoftwelvetomakehisownway—butI’vealwaysthoughtofhimasifhehadcomeintotheworldlikeMinerva,thegoddessofwisdom,whosprangforthfromJupiter’shead,fullygrownandfullyarmed...IrememberthedaywhenIsawthethreeofthemforthefirsttime.Theyweresittingatthebackoftheclassroom—Iwasgivingaspecialcourseforpostgraduatestudents,sodifficultacoursethatfewoutsiderseverventuredtoattendtheseparticularlectures.Thosethreelookedtooyoungevenforfreshmen—theyweresixteenatthetime,asIlearnedlater.Attheendofthatlecture,Johngotuptoaskmeaquestion.Itwasaquestionwhich,asateacher,Iwouldhavebeenproudtohearfromastudentwho’dtakensixyearsofphilosophy.ItwasaquestionpertainingtoPlato’smetaphysics,whichPlatohadn’thadthesensetoaskofhimself.Ianswered—andIaskedJohntocometomyofficeafterthelecture.

           Hecame—allthreeofthemcame—Isawthetwoothersinmyanteroomandletthemin.Italkedtothemforanhour—thenIcancelledallmyappointmentsandtalkedtothemfortherestoftheday.Afterwhich,Iarrangedtoletthemtakethatcourseandreceivetheircreditsforit.Theytookthecourse.Theygotthehighestgradesintheclass.

           ...Theyweremajoringintwosubjects:physicsandphilosophy.