Атлант расправил плечи
The Climax of the d’Anconias
Theworldofchance—offamilies,meals,schools,people,ofaimlesspeopledraggingtheloadofsomeunknownguilt—wasnottheirs,couldnotchangehim,couldnotmatter.Heandshehadneverspokenofthethingsthathappenedtothem,butonlyofwhattheythoughtandofwhattheywoulddo....Shelookedathimsilently,asifavoicewithinherweresaying:Notthethingsthatare,butthethingswe’llmake...Wearenottobestopped,youandI...Forgivemethefear,ifIthoughtIcouldloseyoutothem—forgivemethedoubt,they’llneverreachyou—I’llneverbeafraidforyouagain....
He,too,stoodlookingatherforamoment—anditseemedtoherthatitwasnotalookofgreetingafteranabsence,butthelookofsomeonewhohadthoughtofhereverydayofthatyear.Shecouldnotbecertain,itwasonlyaninstant,sobriefthatjustasshecaughtit,hewasturningtopointatthebirchtreebehindhimandsayinginthetoneoftheirchildhoodgame:
"Iwishyou’dlearntorunfaster.I’llalwayshavetowaitforyou."
"Willyouwaitforme?"sheaskedgaily.
Heanswered,withoutsmiling,"Always."
Astheywentupthehilltothehouse,hespoketoEddie,whileshewalkedsilentlybyhisside.Shefeltthattherewasanewreticencebetweenthemwhich,strangely,wasanewkindofintimacy.
Shedidnotquestionhimabouttheuniversity.Dayslater,sheaskedhimonlywhetherhelikedit.
"They’reteachingalotofdrivelnowadays,"heanswered,"butthereareafewcoursesIlike."
