Атлант расправил плечи

           Dagny!We’vealwaysbeentoldthathumanbeingshavesuchagreatpowerofknowledge,somuchgreaterthananimals,butI—Ifeelblinderthananyanimalrightnow,blinderandmorehelpless.Ananimalknowswhoareitsfriendsandwhoareitsenemies,andwhentodefenditself.Itdoesn’texpectafriendtosteponitortocutitsthroat.Itdoesn’texpecttobetoldthatloveisblind,thatplunderisachievement,thatgangstersarestatesmenandthatit’sgreattobreakthespineofHankRearden!—ohGod,whatamIsaying?"

           "Iknowwhatyou’resaying."

           "Imean,howamItodealwithpeople?Imean,ifnothingheldfirmforthelengthofonehour—wecouldn’tgoon,couldwe?Well,Iknowthatthingsaresolid—butpeople?Dagny!They’renothingandanything,they’renotbeings,they’reonlyswitches,justconstantswitcheswithoutanyshape.ButIhavetoliveamongthem.HowamItodoit?"

           "Cherryl,whatyou’vebeenstrugglingwithisthegreatestprobleminhistory,theonethathascausedailofhumansuffering.You’veunderstoodmuchmorethanmostpeople,whosufferanddie,neverknowingwhatkilledthem.I’llhelpyoutounderstand.It’sabigsubjectandahardbattle—butfirst,aboveall,don’tbeafraid."

           ThelookonCherryl’sfacewasanodd,wistfullonging,asif,seeingDagnyfromagreatdistance,shewerestrainingandfailingtocomecloser,"IwishIcouldwishtofight,"shesaidsoftly,"butIdon’t.