Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           "Avacation?Andit’sthatimportanttoyou?"

           "Moreimportantthananythingonearth."

           Theyhadwalkedtwomileswhentheycametothesmallgrayboxonapostbythetrackside,whichwastheemergencytelephone.

           Theboxhungsidewise,beatenbystorms.Shejerkeditopen.Thetelephonewasthere,afamiliar,reassuringobject,glintinginthebeamofKellogg’sflashlight.Butsheknew,themomentshepressedthereceivertoherear,andheknew,whenhesawherfingertappingsharplyagainstthehook,thatthetelephonewasdead.

           Shehandedthereceivertohimwithoutaword.Sheheldtheflashlight,whilehewentswiftlyovertheinstrument,thentoreitoffthewallandstudiedthewires.

           "Thewire’sokay,"hesaid."Thecurrent’son.It’sthisparticularinstrumentthat’soutoforder.There’sachancethatthenextonemightbeworking."Headded,"Thenextoneisfivemilesaway."

           "Let’sgo,"shesaid.

           Farbehindthem,theengine’sheadlightwasstillvisible,notaplanetanylonger,butasmallstarwinking,throughmistsofdistance.

           Aheadofthem,therailwentoffintobluishspace,withnothingtomarkitsend.

           Sherealizedhowoftenshehadglancedbackatthatheadlight;solongasitremainedinsight,shehadfeltasifalife-linewereholdingthemanchoredsafely;nowtheyhadtobreakitanddiveinto...