Атлант расправил плечи
Anti-Life
Idon’tevenwanttowinanylonger.There’sonechangethatIdon’tseemtohavethestrengthtomake.Yousee,IhadneverexpectedanythinglikemymarriagetoJim.Thenwhenithappened,IthoughtthatlifewasmuchmorewonderfulthanIhadexpected.AndnowtogetusedtotheideathatlifeandpeoplearemuchmorehorriblethananythingIhadimaginedandthatmymarriagewasnotagloriousmiracle,butsomeunspeakablekindofevilwhichI’mstillafraidtolearnfully—thatiswhatIcan’tforcemyselftotake.Ican’tgetpastit."Sheglancedupsuddenly."Dagny,howdidyoudoit?Howdidyoumanagetoremainunmangled?"
"Byholdingtojustonerule."
"Which?"
"Toplacenothing—nothing—abovetheverdictofmyownmind."
"You’vetakensometerriblebeatings...maybeworsethanIdid...worsethananyofus...Whatheldyouthroughit?"
"Theknowledgethatmylifeisthehighestofvalues,toohightogiveupwithoutafight."
Shesawalookofastonishment,ofincredulousrecognitiononCherryl’sface,asifthegirlwerestrugglingtorecapturesomesensationacrossaspanofyears."Dagny"—hervoicewasawhisper—"that’s...that’swhatIfeltwhenIwasachild...that’swhatIseemtoremembermostaboutmyself...thatkindoffeeling...andIneverlostit,it’sthere,it’salwaysbeenthere,butasIgrewup,IthoughtitwassomethingthatImusthide...
