Атлант расправил плечи
Anti-Life
""Whatphilosophy?""Ifyoudon’tunderstandit,Ican’texplain."Shewouldnotlethimendtheconversationonthatfavoriteformulaofhis."Jim,"shesaid,"he’saphony,heandBalphEubankandthatwholegangoftheirs—andIthinkyou’vebeentakeninbythem."Insteadoftheangersheexpected,shesawabriefflashofamusementintheliftofhiseyelids."That’swhatyouthink,"heanswered.
Shefeltaninstantofterroratthefirsttouchofaconceptshehadnotknowntobepossible:WhatifJimwasnottakeninbythem?ShecouldunderstandthephoninessofDr.Pritchett,shethought—itwasaracketthatgavehimanundeservedincome;shecouldevenadmitthepossibility,bynow,thatJimmightbeaphonyinhisownbusiness;whatshecouldnotholdinsidehermindwastheconceptofJimasaphonyinaracketfromwhichhegainednothing,anunpaidphony,anunvenalphony;thephoninessofacardsharporaconmanseemedinnocentlywholesomebycomparison.Shecouldnotconceiveofhismotive;shefeltonlythattheheadlightmovinguponherhadgrownlarger.
Shecouldnotrememberbywhatsteps,whataccumulationofpain,firstassmallscratchesofuneasiness,thenasstabsofbewilderment,thenasthechronic,naggingpulloffear,shehadbeguntodoubtJim’spositionontherailroad.
