Атлант расправил плечи

           Therewerenofactoriesintheneighborhood,butFranciscotaughtDagnyandEddietostealridesonTaggarttrainstodistanttowns,wheretheyclimbedfencesintomillyardsorhungonwindowsills,watchingmachineryasotherchildrenwatchedmovies."WhenIrunTaggartTranscontinental..."Dagnywouldsayattimes."WhenIrund‘AnconiaCopper..."saidFrancisco.Theyneverhadtoexplaintheresttoeachother;theykneweachother’sgoalandmotive.

           Railroadconductorscaughtthem,onceinawhile.ThenastationmasterahundredmilesawaywouldtelephoneMrs.Taggart:"We’vegotthreeyoungtrampsherewhosaythattheyare—""Yes,"Mrs.Taggartwouldsigh,"theyare.Pleasesendthemback."

           "Francisco,"Eddieaskedhimonce,astheystoodbythetracksoftheTaggartstation,"you’vebeenjustabouteverywhereintheworld.What’sthemostimportantthingonearth?""This,"answeredFrancisco,pointingtotheemblemTTonthefrontofanengine.Headded,"IwishIcouldhavemetNatTaggart."

           HenoticedDagny’sglanceathim.Hesaidnothingelse.Butminuteslater,whentheywentonthroughthewoods,downanarrowpathofdampearth,fernsandsunlight,hesaid,"Dagny,I’llalwaysbowtoacoat-of-arms.I’llalwaysworshipthesymbolsofnobility.AmInotsupposedtobeanaristocrat?OnlyIdon’tgiveadamnformoth-eatenturretsandtenth-handunicorns.Thecoats-of-armsofourdayaretobefoundonbillboardsandintheadsofpopularmagazines.""Whatdoyoumean?"askedEddie.