Атлант расправил плечи

           "Francisco,"Eddieaskedhimonce,astheystoodbythetracksoftheTaggartstation,"you’vebeenjustabouteverywhereintheworld.What’sthemostimportantthingonearth?""This,"answeredFrancisco,pointingtotheemblemTTonthefrontofanengine.Headded,"IwishIcouldhavemetNatTaggart."

           HenoticedDagny’sglanceathim.Hesaidnothingelse.Butminuteslater,whentheywentonthroughthewoods,downanarrowpathofdampearth,fernsandsunlight,hesaid,"Dagny,I’llalwaysbowtoacoat-of-arms.I’llalwaysworshipthesymbolsofnobility.AmInotsupposedtobeanaristocrat?OnlyIdon’tgiveadamnformoth-eatenturretsandtenth-handunicorns.Thecoats-of-armsofourdayaretobefoundonbillboardsandintheadsofpopularmagazines.""Whatdoyoumean?"askedEddie."Industrialtrademarks,Eddie,"heanswered.Franciscowasfifteenyearsold,thatsummer.

           "WhenIrund‘AnconiaCopper...""I’mstudyingminingandmineralogy,becauseImustbereadyforthetimewhenIrund’AnconiaCopper....""I’mstudyingelectricalengineering,becausepowercompaniesarethebestcustomersofd‘AnconiaCopper....""I’mgoingtostudyphilosophy,becauseI’llneedittoprotectd’AnconiaCopper...."

           "Don’tyoueverthinkofanythingbutd‘AnconiaCopper?"Jimaskedhimonce.

           "No."

           "Itseemstomethatthereareotherthingsintheworld."

           "Letothersthinkaboutthem."

           "Isn’tthataveryselfishattitude?"

           "Itis."