Атлант расправил плечи
Anti-Life
I’mnotafraid,thatway.Notofgoinghome."
"Didn’tsomethinghappentheretonight?"
"No...notreally...nothingworsethanusual.ItwasjustthatIbegantoseethingsalittlemoreclearly,thatwasall...I’mallright.Ihavetothink,thinkharderthanIeverdidbefore...andthenI’lldecidewhatImustdo.MayI—"Shehesitated.
"Yes?"
"MayIcomebacktotalktoyouagain?"
"Ofcourse."
"Thankyou,I...I’mverygratefultoyou."
"Willyoupromisemethatyou’llcomeback?"
"Ipromise."
Dagnysawherwalkingoffdownthehalltowardtheelevator,sawtheslumpofhershoulders,thentheeffortthatliftedthem,sawtheslenderfigurethatseemedtoswaythenmarshalallofitsstrengthtoremainerect.Shelookedlikeaplantwithabrokenstem,stillheldtogetherbyasinglefiber,strugglingtohealthebreach,whichonemoregustofwindwouldfinish.
Throughtheopendoorofhisstudy,JamesTaggarthadseenCherrylcrosstheanteroomandwalkoutoftheapartment.Hehadslammedhisdoorandslumpeddownonthedavenport,withpatchesofspilledchampagnestillsoakingtheclothofhistrousers,asifhisowndiscomfortwerearevengeuponhiswifeanduponauniversethatwouldnotprovidehimwiththecelebrationhehadwanted.
