Атлант расправил плечи
Anti-Life
Hewashimself!—theonlyconsciouspartofhisrageseemedtobescreamingtohim—hewas,atlast,himself!
Theydidnotspeak.Theykneweachother’smotive.Onlytwowordswerepronouncedbetweenthem."Mrs.Rearden,"hesaid.
Theydidnotlookateachotherwhenhepushedherintohisbedroomandontohisbed,fallingagainstherbody,asagainstasoftstuffedobject.Theirfaceshadalookofsecrecy,thelookofpartnersinguilt,thefurtive,smuttylookofchildrendefilingsomeone’scleanfencebychalkingsneakyscratchesintendedassymbolsofobscenity.
Afterward,itdidnotdisappointhimthatwhathehadpossessedwasaninanimatebodywithoutresistanceorresponse.Itwasnotawomanthathehadwantedtopossess.Itwasnotanactincelebrationoflifethathehadwantedtoperform—butanactincelebrationofthetriumphofimpotence.
Cherrylunlockedthedoorandslippedinquietly,almostsurreptitiously,asifhopingnottobeseenortoseetheplacewhichwasherhome.ThesenseofDagny’spresence—ofDagny’sworld—hadsupportedheronherwayback,butwhensheenteredherownapartmentthewallsseemedtoswallowheragainintothesuffocationofatrap.
Theapartmentwassilent;awedgeoflightcutacrosstheanteroomfromadoorlefthalf-open.Shedraggedherselfmechanicallyinthedirectionofherroom.Thenshestopped.
