Атлант расправил плечи

           Sheheardhimchuckling,andafterawhilehesaid,"Dagny,there’snothingofanyimportanceinlife—excepthowwellyoudoyourwork.Nothing.Onlythat.Whateverelseyouare,willcomefromthat.It’stheonlymeasureofhumanvalue.Allthecodesofethicsthey’lltrytoramdownyourthroatarejustsomuchpapermoneyputoutbyswindlerstofleecepeopleoftheirvirtues.Thecodeofcompetenceistheonlysystemofmoralitythat’sonagoldstandard.Whenyougrowup,you’llknowwhatImean."

           "Iknowitnow.But...Francisco,whyareyouandItheonlyoneswhoseemtoknowit?"

           "Whyshouldyoucareabouttheothers?"

           "BecauseIliketounderstandthings,andthere’ssomethingaboutpeoplethatIcan’tunderstand."

           "What?"

           "Well,I’vealwaysbeenunpopularinschoolanditdidn’tbotherme,butnowI’vediscoveredthereason.It’sanimpossiblekindofreason.Theydislikeme,notbecauseIdothingsbadly,butbecauseIdothemwell.TheydislikemebecauseI’vealwayshadthebestgradesintheclass.Idon’tevenhavetostudy.IalwaysgetA’s.DoyousupposeIshouldtrytogetD’sforachangeandbecomethemostpopulargirlinschool?"

           Franciscostopped,lookedatherandslappedherface.

           Whatshefeltwascontainedinasingleinstant,whilethegroundrockedunderherfeet,inasingleblastofemotionwithinher.