Атлант расправил плечи

           Ididn’tcomeheretocomplainand...andloadanotherburdenonyourshoulders...ThatIhappentosuffer,doesn’tgivemeaclaimonyou."

           "No,itdoesn’t.ButthatyouvalueallthethingsIvalue,does."

           "Youmean...ifyouwanttotalktome,it’snotalms?Notjustbecauseyoufeelsorryforme?"

           "Ifeelterriblysorryforyou,Cherryl,andI’dliketohelpyou—notbecauseyousuffer,butbecauseyouhaven’tdeservedtosuffer."

           "Youmean,youwouldn’tbekindtoanythingweakorwhiningorrottenaboutme?Onlytowhateveryouseeinmethat’sgood?"

           "Ofcourse."

           Cherryldidnotmoveherhead,butshelookedasifitwerelifted—asifsomebracingcurrentwererelaxingherfeaturesintothatrarelookwhichcombinespainanddignity.

           "It’snotalms,Cherryl.Don’tbeafraidtospeaktome."

           "It’sstrange...You’rethefirstpersonIcantalkto...anditfeelssoeasy...yetI...Iwasafraidtospeaktoyou.Iwantedtoaskyourforgivenesslongago...eversinceIlearnedthetruth,Iwentasfarasthedoorofyouroffice,butIstoppedandstoodthereinthehallanddidn’thavethecouragetogoin...Ididn’tintendtocomeheretonight.Iwentoutonlyto...tothinksomethingover,andthen,suddenly,IknewthatIwantedtoseeyou,thatinthewholeofthecitythiswastheonlyplaceformetogoandtheonlythingstillleftformetodo.