Атлант расправил плечи
The Sign of the Dollar
Sheglancedaroundher—andforonefrighteningmoment,shethoughtthatitwasaquietsummermorning,thatshewasalone,lostinaregionoftheRockyMountainswhichnoplaneshouldeverventuretoapproach,and,withthelastofherfuelburningaway,shewaslookingforaplanethathadneverexisted,inquestofadestroyerwhohadvanishedashealwaysvanished;perhapsitwasonlyhisvisionthathadledherheretobedestroyed.Inthenextmoment,sheshookherhead,pressedhermouthtighteranddroppedfarther.
ShethoughtthatshecouldnotabandonanincalculablewealthsuchasthebrainofQuentinDanielsononeofthoserocksbelow,ifhewasstillaliveandwithinherreachtohelp.Shehaddroppedinsidethecircleofthevalley’swalls.Itwasadangerousjobofflying,thespacewasmuchtootight,butshewentoncirclinganddroppinglower,herlifehangingonhereyesight,andhereyesightflashingbetweentwotasks:searchingthefloorofthevalleyandwatchingthegranitewallsthatseemedabouttoripherwings.
Sheknewthedangeronlyaspartofthejob.Ithadnopersonalmeaninganylonger.Thesavagethingshefeltwasalmostenjoyment.Itwasthelastrageofalostbattle.No!—shewascryinginhermind,cryingittothedestroyer,totheworldshehadleft,totheyearsbehindher,tothelongprogressionofdefeat—No!...No!...No!...
Hereyessweptpasttheinstrumentpanel—andthenshesatstillbutforthesoundofagasp.
