Атлант расправил плечи
The Sign of the Dollar
Webegantothinkofhimwheneverwesawanothercollapseintheworld,whichnobodycouldexplain,wheneverwetookanotherblow,wheneverwelostanotherhope,wheneverwefeltcaughtinthisdead,grayfogthat’sdescendingallovertheearth.Perhapspeoplehearduscryingthatquestionandtheydidnotknowwhatwemeant,buttheyknewtoowellthefeelingthatmadeuscryit.They,too,feltthatsomethinghadgonefromtheworld.Perhapsthiswaswhytheybegantosayit,whenevertheyfeltthattherewasnohope.I’dliketothinkthatIamwrong,thatthosewordsmeannothing,thatthere’snoconsciousintentionandnoavengerbehindtheendingofthehumanrace.ButwhenIhearthemrepeatingthatquestion,Ifeelafraid.Ithinkofthemanwhosaidthathewouldstopthemotoroftheworld.Yousee,hisnamewasJohnGalt."
Sheawakened,becausethesoundofthewheelshadchanged.Itwasanirregularbeat,withsuddenscreechesandshort,sharpcracks,asoundlikethebrokenlaughterofhysteria,withthefitfuljerkingofthecartomatchit.Sheknew,beforesheglancedatherwatch,thatthiswasthetrackoftheKansasWesternandthatthetrainhadstartedonitslongdetoursouthfromKirby,Nebraska.
Thetrainwashalf-empty;fewpeoplehadventuredacrossthecontinentonthefirstCometsincethetunneldisaster.Shehadgivenabedroomtothetramp,andthenhadremainedalonewithhisstory.
