Атлант расправил плечи

           "Idon’tknowwhyIkeepdraggingmyselftothoseparties,"hesnappedsuddenly,tearingoffhisdresstieinthemiddleoftheirlivingroom,"I’veneversatthroughsuchavulgar,boringwasteoftime!"

           "Why,Jim,"shesaid,stunned,"Ithoughtitwaswonderful."

           "Youwould!Youseemedtobequiteathome—quiteasifitwereConeyIsland.Iwishyou’dlearntokeepyourplaceandnottoembarrassmeinpublic."

           "Iembarrassedyou?Tonight?"

           "Youdid!"

           "How?"

           "Ifyoudon’tunderstandit,Ican’texplain,"hesaidinthetoneofamysticwhoimpliesthatalackofunderstandingistheconfessionofashamefulinferiority.

           "Idon’tunderstandit,"shesaidfirmly.Hewalkedoutoftheroom,slammingthedoor.

           Shefeltthattheinexplicablewasnotamereblank,thistime:ithadatingeofevil.Fromthatnighton,asmall,hardpointoffearremainedwithinher,likethespotofadistantheadlightadvancinguponherdownaninvisibletrack.

           KnowledgedidnotseemtobringheraclearervisionofJim’sworld,buttomakethemysterygreater.