Атлант расправил плечи
Anti-Life
Shecouldnotdealwithpeopleanylonger,shecouldnottakethepathstheytook—butwhatcouldshesaytothem,shewhohadnowordstonamethethingsheknewandnovoicethatpeoplewouldhear?Whatcouldshetellthem?Howcouldshereachthemall?
Wherewerethemenwhocouldhavespoken?
Thesewerenotwordsinhermind,thesewereonlytheblowsofherfistsagainstmetal—thenshesawherselfsuddenly,batteringherknucklestobloodagainstanimmovablepost,andthesightmadehershudder—andshestumbledaway.Shewenton,seeingnothingaroundher,feelingtrappedinamazewithnoexit.
Noexit—hershredsofawarenessweresaying,beatingitintothepavementsinthesoundofhersteps—noexit...norefuge...nosignals...nowaytotelldestructionfromsafety,orenemyfromfriend...Likethatdogshehadheardabout,shethought...somebody’sdoginsomebody’slaboratory...thedogwhogothissignalsswitchedonhim,andsawnowaytotellsatisfactionfromtorture,sawfoodchangedtobeatingsandbeatingstofood,sawhiseyesandearsdeceivinghimandhisjudgmentfutileandhisconsciousnessimpotentinashifting,swimming,shapelessworld—andgaveup,refusingtoeatatthatpriceortoliveinaworldofthatkind...
