Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           Hecrossedtheroomandpickedupacigarette,forthepleasureofpaddinginhisstockingfeetpasttheformaleleganceofhercostume.

           "Iwasbored,"heanswered.

           "Ican’tstandthem,"shesaid,withalittleshudder;heglancedatherinastonishment:thewordssoundedinvoluntaryandsincere."Ican’tstandSenorGonzalesandthatwhorehe’sgothimselfforawife.

           It’sdisgustingthatthey’vebecomesofashionable,theyandtheirparties.Idon’tfeellikegoinganywhereanylonger.It’snotthesamestyleanymore,notthesamespirit.Ihaven’trunintoBalphEubankformonths,orDr.Pritchett,oranyoftheboys.Andallthosenewfacesthatlooklikebutcher’sassistants!Afterall,ourcrowdweregentlemen."

           "Yeah,"hesaidreflectively."Yeah,there’ssomefunnykindofdifference.It’slikeontherailroad,too:IcouldgetalongwithGemWeatherby,hewascivilized,butCuffyMeigs—that’ssomethingelseagain,that’s..."Hestoppedabruptly.

           "It’sperfectlypreposterous,"shesaid,inthetoneofachallengetothespaceatlarge."Theycan’tgetawaywithit."

           Shedidnotexplain"who"or"withwhat."Heknewwhatshemeant.Throughamomentofsilence,theylookedasiftheywereclingingtoeachotherforreassurance.

           Inthenextmoment,hewasthinkingwithpleasurableamusementthatLillianwasbeginningtoshowherage.