Атлант расправил плечи
The Sign of the Dollar
Thesixthousandofuswerecrowdedonbleachersbuiltwayuptotheraftersoftheplant’slargesthangar.Wehadjustvotedforthenewplanandwewereinanedgysortofmood,makingtoomuchnoise,cheeringthepeople’svictory,threateningsomekindofunknownenemiesandspoilingforafight,likebullieswithanuneasyconscience.Therewerewhitearclightsbeatingdownonusandwefeltkindoftouchyandraw,andwewereanugly,dangerousmobinthatmoment.GeraldStarnes,whowaschairman,kepthammeringhisgavelfororder,andwequieteddownsome,butnotmuch,andyoucouldseethewholeplacemovingrestlesslyfromsidetoside,likewaterinapanthat’sbeingrocked.‘Thisisacrucialmomentinthehistoryofmankind!’GeraldStarnesyelledthroughthenoise.‘Rememberthatnoneofusmaynowleavethisplace,foreachofusbelongstoalltheothersbythemorallawwhichweallaccept!’‘Idon’t,’saidonemanandstoodup.Hewasoneoftheyoungengineers.Nobodyknewmuchabouthim.He’dalwayskeptmostlybyhimself.Whenhestoodup,wesuddenlyturneddead-still.Itwasthewayheheldhishead.Hewastallandslim—andIrememberthinkingthatanytwoofuscouldhavebrokenhisneckwithouttrouble—butwhatweallfeltwasfear.Hestoodlikeamanwhoknewthathewasright.‘Iwillputanendtothis,onceandforall,’hesaid.Hisvoicewasclearandwithoutanyfeeling.Thatwasallhesaidandstartedtowalkout.
