Атлант расправил плечи
Anti-Life
Nowsheknewthattheywerenotexceptions,thattheirswasthecodeacceptedbytheworld,thatitwasacreedofliving,knownbyall,butkeptunnamed,leeringatherfrompeople’seyesinthatsly,guiltylookshehadneverbeenabletounderstand—andattherootofthecreed,hiddenbysilence,lyinginwaitforherinthecellarsofthecityandinthecellarsoftheirsouls,therewasathingwithwhichonecouldnotlive.
Whyareyoudoingittome?—shecriedsoundlesslytothedarknessaroundher.Becauseyou’regood—someenormouslaughterseemedtobeansweringfromtherooftopsandfromthesewers.ThenIwon’twanttobegoodanylonger—Butyouwill—Idon’thaveto—Youwill—Ican’tbearit—Youwill.
Sheshudderedandwalkedfaster—butaheadofher,inthefoggydistance,shesawthecalendarabovetheroofsofthecity—itwaslongpastmidnightandthecalendarsaid:August6,butitseemedtohersuddenlythatshesawSeptember2writtenabovethecityinlettersofblood—andshethought:Ifsheworked,ifshestruggled,ifsherose,shewouldtakeaharderbeatingwitheachstepofherclimb,until,attheend,whatevershereached,beitacoppercompanyoranunmortgagedcottage,shewouldseeitseizedbyJimonsomeSeptember2andshewouldseeitvanishtopayforthepartieswhereJimmadehisdealswithhisfriends.
