Атлант расправил плечи
The Sign of the Dollar
Shehadwantedtothinkofit,ofallthequestionssheintendedtoaskhimtomorrow—butshehadfoundhermindfrozenandstill,likeaspectatorstaringatthestory,unabletofunction,onlytostare.Shehadfeltasifsheknewthemeaningofthatspectacle,knewitwithnofurtherquestionsandhadtoescapeit.Tomove—hadbeenthewordsbeatinginhermindwithpeculiarurgency—tomove—asifmovementhadbecomeanendinitself,crucial,absoluteanddoomed.
Throughathinlayerofsleep,thesoundofthewheelshadkeptrunningaracewiththegrowthofhertension.Shehadkeptawakening,asinacauselessstartofpanic,findingherselfuprightinthedarkness,thinkingblankly:Whatwasit?—thentellingherselfinreassurance:We’removing...we’restillmoving...
ThetrackoftheKansasWesternwasworsethanshehadexpected—shethought,listeningtothewheels.ThetrainwasnowcarryingherhundredsofmilesawayfromUtah.Shehadfeltadesperatedesiretogetoffthetrainonthemainline,abandonalltheproblemsofTaggartTranscontinental,findanairplaneandflystraighttoQuentinDaniels.
Ithadtakenacheerlesseffortofwilltoremaininhercar.
Shelayinthedarkness,listeningtothewheels,thinkingthatonlyDanielsandhismotorstillremainedlikeapointoffireahead,pullingherforward.Ofwhatusewouldthemotornowbetoher?Shehadnoanswer.
