Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
Diditmatter—shethought,lookingatthemap—whichpartofthecorpsehadbeenconsumedbywhichtypeofmaggot,bythosewhogorgedthemselvesorbythosewhogavethefoodtoothermaggots?Solongaslivingfleshwaspreytobedevoured,diditmatterwhosestomachsithadgonetofill?Therewasnowaytotellwhichdevastationhadbeenaccomplishedbythehumanitariansandwhichbyundisguisedgangsters.Therewasnowaytotellwhichactsofplunderhadbeenpromptedbythecharity-lustoftheLawsonsandwhichbythegluttonyofCuffyMeigs—nowaytotellwhichcommunitieshadbeenimmolatedtofeedanothercommunityoneweekclosertostarvationandwhichtoprovideyachtsforthepull-peddlers.Diditmatter?Bothwerealikeinfactastheywerealikeinspirit,bothwereinneedandneedwasregardedassoletitletoproperty,bothwereactinginstrictestaccordancewiththesamecodeofmorality.Bothheldtheimmolationofmenasproperandbothwereachievingit.Therewasn’tevenanywaytotellwhowerethecannibalsandwhothevictims—thecommunitiesthatacceptedastheirrightfulduetheconfiscatedclothingorfuelofatowntotheeastofthem,found,nextweek,theirgranariesconfiscatedtofeedatowntothewest—menhadachievedtheidealofthecenturies,theywerepracticingitinunobstructedperfection,theywereservingneedastheirhighestruler,needasfirstclaimuponthem,needastheirstandardofvalue,asthecoinoftheirrealm,asmoresacredthanrightandlife.
