Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
Theyknewthatcopperwirewasavanishingcommodity,morepreciousthangoldorhonor;theyknewthatthedivisionstorekeeperhadsoldtheirstockofwireweeksago,tounknowndealerswhocamebynightandwerenotbusinessmeninthedaytime,butonlymenwhohadfriendsinSacramentoandinWashington—justasthestorekeeper,recentlyappointedtothedivision,hadafriendinNewYork,namedCuffyMeigs,aboutwhomoneaskednoquestions.Theyknewthatthemanwhowouldnowassumetheresponsibilityoforderingrepairsandinitiatingtheactionwhichwouldleadtothediscoverythattherepairscouldnotbemade,wouldincurretaliationfromunknownenemies,thathisfellowworkerswouldbecomemysteriouslysilentandwouldnottestifytohelphim,thathewouldprovenothing,andifheattemptedtodohisjob,itwouldnotbehisanylonger.Theydidnotknowwhatwassafeordangerousthesedays,whentheguiltywerenotpunished,buttheaccuserswere;and,likeanimals,theyknewthatimmobilitywastheonlyprotectionwhenindoubtandindanger.Theyremainedimmobile;theyspokeabouttheappropriateprocedureofsendingreportstotheappropriateauthoritiesontheappropriatedates.
Ayoungroadmasterwalkedoutoftheroomandoutoftheheadquartersbuildingtothesafetyofatelephoneboothinadrugstoreand,athisownexpense,ignoringthecontinentandthetiersofappropriateexecutivesbetween,hetelephonedDagnyTaggartinNewYork.
