Атлант расправил плечи
Anti-Life
Heapproachedheranddroppedwearilydownonhisknees,slippinghisarmsaroundher."Youpoorlittlefool,"hesaidaffectionately.
Sheheldontohim,movedbysomethingthatfeltliketendernessandalmostlikepity.Butheraisedhisheadtoglanceupatherface,anditseemedtoherthatthelookshesawinhiseyeswaspart-gratification,part-contempt—almostasif,bysomeunknownkindofsanction,shehadabsolvedhimanddamnedherself.
Itwasuseless—shefoundinthedaysthatfollowed—totellherselfthatthesethingswerebeyondherunderstanding,thatitwasherdutytobelieveinhim,thatlovewasfaith.Herdoubtkeptgrowing—doubtofhisincomprehensibleworkandofhisrelationtotherailroad.Shewonderedwhyitkeptgrowingindirectproportiontoherself-admonitionsthatfaithwasthedutysheowedhim.Then,onesleeplessnight,sherealizedthatherefforttofulfillthatdutyconsistedofturningawaywheneverpeoplediscussedhisjob,ofrefusingtolookatnewspapermentionsofTaggartTranscontinental,ofslamminghermindshutagainstanyevidenceandeverycontradiction.Shestopped,aghast,struckbythequestion:Whatisit,then—faithversustruth?Andrealizingthatpartofherzealtobelievewasherfeartoknow,shesetouttolearnthetruth,withacleaner,calmersenseofrightnessthantheeffortatdutifulself-fraudhadevergivenher.
Itdidnottakeherlongtolearn.
