Атлант расправил плечи
Anti-Life
Hehadthrowndollarsaboutbythehundreds—atthatpartyhehadgiventoday—forunfinisheddrinks,foruneatendelicacies,forunprovokedtipsandunexpectedwhims,foralongdistancephonecalltoArgentinabecauseoneoftheguestshadwantedtochecktheexactversionofasmuttystoryhehadstartedtelling,forthespurofanymoment,fortheclammystuporofknowingthatitwaseasiertopaythantothink.
"You’vegotnothingtoworryabout,underthatRailroadUnificationPlan,"OrrenBoylehadgiggledtohimdrunkenly.UndertheRailroadUnificationPlan,alocalrailroadhadgonebankruptinNorthDakota,abandoningtheregiontothefateofablightedarea,thelocalbankerhadcommittedsuicide,firstkillinghiswifeandchildren—afreighttrainhadbeentakenoilthescheduleinTennessee,leavingalocalfactorywithouttransportationataday’snotice,thefactoryowner’ssonhadquitcollegeandwasnowinjail,awaitingexecutionforamurdercommittedwithagangofraiders—awaystationhadbeenclosedinKansas,andthestationagent,whohadwantedtobeascientist,hadgivenuphisstudiesandbecomeadishwasher—thathe,JamesTaggart,mightsitinaprivatebarroomandpayforthealcoholpouringdownOrrenBoyle’sthroat,forthewaiterwhospongedBoyle’sgarmentswhenhespilledhisdrinkoverhischest,forthecarpetburnedbythecigarettesofanex-pimpfromChilewhodidnotwanttotakethetroubleofreachingforanashtrayacrossadistanceofthreefeet.
