Атлант расправил плечи

           Thed‘Anconiaheirshadbeenmenofunusualability,butnoneofthemcouldmatchwhatFranciscod’Anconiapromisedtobecome.Itwasasifthecenturieshadsiftedthefamily’squalitiesthroughafinemesh,haddiscardedtheirrelevant,theinconsequential,theweak,andhadletnothingthroughexceptpuretalent;asifchance,foronce,hadachievedanentitydevoidoftheaccidental.

           Franciscocoulddoanythingheundertook,hecoulddoitbetterthananyoneelse,andhediditwithouteffort.Therewasnoboastinginhismannerandconsciousness,nothoughtofcomparison.Hisattitudewasnot:"Icandoitbetterthanyou,"butsimply:"Icandoit."Whathemeantbydoingwasdoingsuperlatively.

           Nomatterwhatdisciplinewasrequiredofhimbyhisfather’sexactingplanforhiseducation,nomatterwhatsubjecthewasorderedtostudy,Franciscomastereditwitheffortlessamusement.Hisfatheradoredhim,butconcealeditcarefully,asheconcealedtheprideofknowingthathewasbringingupthemostbrilliantphenomenonofabrilliantfamilyline.Francisco,itwassaid,wastobetheclimaxofthed‘Anconias.

           "Idon’tknowwhatsortofmottothed‘Anconiashaveontheirfamilycrest,"Mrs.Taggartsaidonce,"butI’msurethatFranciscowillchangeitto’Whatfor?‘"Itwasthefirstquestionheaskedaboutanyactivityproposedtohim—andnothingwouldmakehimact,ifhefoundnovalidanswer.