Атлант расправил плечи

           Itwasthemostdistinguishedinstitutionoflearningleftintheworld,thePatrickHenryUniversityofCleveland.HedidnotcometovisitherinNewYork,thatwinter,eventhoughhewasonlyanight’sjourneyaway.Theydidnotwritetoeachother,theyhadneverdoneit.Butsheknewthathewouldcomebacktothecountryforonesummermonth.

           Therewereafewtimes,thatwinter,whenshefeltanundefinedapprehension:theprofessor’swordskeptreturningtohermind,asawarningwhichshecouldnotexplain.Shedismissedthem.WhenshethoughtofFrancisco,shefeltthesteadyingassurancethatshewouldhaveanothermonthasanadvanceagainstthefuture,asaproofthattheworldshesawaheadwasreal,eventhoughitwasnottheworldofthosearoundher.

           "Hi,Slug!"

           "Hi,Frisco!"

           Standingonthehillside,inthefirstmomentofseeinghimagain,shegraspedsuddenlythenatureofthatworldwhichthey,together,heldagainstallothers.Itwasonlyaninstant’spause,shefelthercottonskirtbeatinginthewindagainstherknees,feltthesunonhereyelids,andtheupwardthrustofsuchanimmensereliefthatshegroundherfeetintothegrassunderhersandals,becauseshethoughtshewouldrise,weightless,throughthewind.

           Itwasasuddensenseoffreedomandsafety—becausesherealizedthatsheknewnothingabouttheeventsofhislife,hadneverknownandwouldneverneedtoknow.