Атлант расправил плечи

           "It’saplantosavethecountry,tostopoureconomicdecline,toholdthingsstill,toachievestabilityandsecurity."

           "Whatplan?"

           "Ican’ttellyou.It’ssecret.Topsecret.Youhavenoideahowmanypeoplewouldliketoknowit.There’snoindustrialistwhowouldn’tgiveadozenofhisbestfurnacesforjustonehintofwarning,whichhe’snotgoingtoget!LikeHankRearden,forinstance,whomyouadmiresomuch."Hechuckled,lookingoffintothefuture.

           "Jim,"sheasked,thesoundoffearinhervoicetellinghimwhatthesoundofhischucklehadbeenlike,"whydoyouhateHankRearden?"

           "Idon’thatehim!"Hewhirledtoher,andhisface,incredibly,lookedanxious,almostfrightened."IneversaidIhatedhim.Don’tworry,he’llapproveoftheplan.Everybodywill.It’sforeverybody’sgood."Hesoundedasifhewerepleading.Shefeltthedizzyingcertaintythathewaslying,yetthatthepleawassincere—asifhehadadesperateneedtoreassureher,butnotaboutthethingshesaid.

           Sheforcedherselftosmile."Yes,Jim,ofcourse,"sheanswered,wonderingwhatinstinctinwhatimpossiblekindofchaoshadmadehersayitasifitwereherparttoreassurehim.

           Thelookshesawonhisfacewasalmostasmileandalmostofgratitude."Ihadtotellyouaboutittonight.Ihadtotellyou.IwantedyoutoknowwhattremendousissuesIdealwith.