Атлант расправил плечи
Anti-Life
TheevasivenessoftheTaggartexecutives,whensheaskedafewcasualquestions,thestalegeneralitiesoftheiranswers,thestrainoftheirmanneratthementionoftheirboss,andtheirobviousreluctancetodiscusshim—toldhernothingconcrete,butgaveherafeelingequivalenttoknowingtheworst.Therailroadworkersweremorespecific—theswitchmen,thegatemen,theticketsellerswhomshedrewintochanceconversationsintheTaggartTerminalandwhodidnotknowher."JimTaggart?Thatwhining,sniveling,speech-makingdeadhead!""JimmythePresident?Well,I’lltellyou:he’sthehoboonthegravytrain.""Theboss?Mr.Taggart?YoumeanMissTaggart,don’tyou?"
ItwasEddieWillerswhotoldherthewholetruth.SheheardthathehadknownJimsincechildhood,andsheaskedhimtolunchwithher.
Whenshefacedhimatthetable,whenshesawtheearnest,questioningdirectnessofhiseyesandtheseverelyliteralsimplicityofhiswords,shedroppedallattemptsatcasualprodding,shetoldhimwhatshewantedtoknowandwhy,briefly,impersonally,notappealingforhelporforpity,onlyfortruth.Heansweredherinthesamemanner.Hetoldherthewholestory,quietly,impersonally,pronouncingnoverdict,expressingnoopinion,neverencroachingonheremotionsbyanysignofconcernforthem,speakingwiththeshiningausterityandtheawesomepoweroffacts.HetoldherwhoranTaggartTranscontinental.
HetoldherthestoryoftheJohnGaltLine.
