Атлант расправил плечи

           Doyou?"

           "WhatIneedisyour—"

           "—mind,MissTaggart?Mymindisnotonthemarketanylonger."

           Shestoodlookingathim,herfacegrowingharder."You’reoneofthem,aren’tyou?"shesaidatlast.

           "Ofwhom?"

           Shedidnotanswer,shruggedandwenton,"MissTaggart,"heasked,"howlongwillyouremainwillingtobeacommoncarrier?"

           "Iwon’tsurrendertheworldtothecreatureyou’requoting."

           "Theansweryougaveherwasmuchmorerealistic."

           Thechainoftheirstepshadstretchedthroughmanysilentminutesbeforesheasked,"Whydidyoustandbymetonight?Whywereyouwillingtohelpme?"

           Heansweredeasily,almostgaily,"Becausethereisn’tapassengeronthattrainwhoneedstogetwherehe’sgoingmoreurgentlythanIdo.Ifthetraincanbestarted,nonewillprofitmorethanI.ButwhenIneedsomething,Idon’tsitandexpecttransportation,likethatcreatureofyours."

           "Youdon’t?Andwhatifalltrainsstoppedrunning?"

           "ThenIwouldn’tcountonmakingacrucialjourneybytrain."

           "Whereareyougoing?"

           "West."

           "Ona‘specialassignment’?"

           "No.Foramonth’svacationwithsomefriends.