Атлант расправил плечи

           Whensheraisedherhead,itseemedtoherthatshecaughtaglimpseofhimwatchingherwiththeuncertain,retreating,calculatinglookofamanwhosetrickhasnotworked.Butbeforeshehadtimetobelieveit,hisfacewashiddenagainunderanexpressionofinjuryandanger.

           Shesaid,asifshewerenamingherthoughtsforthebenefitoftherationalbeingwhowasnotpresent,butwhosepresenceshehadtoassume,sincenoothercouldbeaddressed,"Thatnight...thoseheadlines...thatglory...itwasnotyouatall...itwasDagny."

           "Shutup,yourottenlittlebitch!"

           Shelookedathimblankly,withoutreaction.Shelookedasifnothingcouldreachher,becauseherdyingwordshadbeenuttered.

           Hemadethesoundofasob."Cherryl,I’msorry,Ididn’tmeanit,Itakeitback,Ididn’tmeanit..."

           Sheremainedstanding,leaningagainstthewall,asshehadstoodfromthefirst.

           Hedroppeddownontheedgeofacouch,inapostureofhelplessdejection."HowcouldIhaveexplainedittoyou?"hesaidinthetoneofabandoninghope."It’sallsobigandsocomplex.HowcouldIhavetoldyouanythingaboutatranscontinentalrailroad,unlessyouknewallthedetailsandramifications?HowcouldIhaveexplainedtoyoumyyearsofwork,my...Oh,what’stheuse?I’vealwaysbeenmisunderstoodandIshouldhavebeenaccustomedtoitbynow,onlyIthoughtthatyouweredifferentandthatIhadachance.