Атлант расправил плечи
Anti-Life
Springiscoming,baby!"
Hepouredhimselfadrinkandpacedtheroom,talkingwithtoolight,toobrashamannerofgaiety.Therewasafeverishsparkleinhiseyes,andhisvoiceseemedshreddedbysomeunnaturalexcitement.Shebegantowonderwhetherhewaselatedorcrushed.
"Iknowwhatitisthatthey’replanning!"hesaidsuddenly,withouttransition,andsheglancedupathimswiftly:sheknewthesoundofoneofhisinnerexplosions."There’snotadozenpeopleinthewholecountrywhoknowit,butIdo!Thetopboysarekeepingitsecrettillthey’rereadytospringitonthenation.Willitsurprisealotofpeople!
Willitknockthemflat!Alotofpeople?Hell,everysinglepersoninthiscountry!Itwillaffecteverysingleperson.That’showimportantitis."
"Affect—how,Jim?"
"Itwillaffectthem!Andtheydon’tknowwhat’scoming,butIdo.
Theretheysittonight"—hewavedatthelightedwindowsofthecity—"makingplans,countingtheirmoney,huggingtheirchildrenortheirdreams,andtheydon’tknow,butIdo,thatallofitwillbestruck,stopped,changed!"
"Changed—fortheworseorthebetter?"
"Forthebetter,ofcourse,"heansweredimpatiently,asifitwereirrelevant;hisvoiceseemedtoloseitsfireandtoslipintothefraudulentsoundofduty.
