Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
Menhadbeenpushedintoapitwhere,shoutingthatmanishisbrother’skeeper,eachwasdevouringhisneighborandwasbeingdevouredbyhisneighbor’sbrother,eachwasproclaimingtherighteousnessoftheunearnedandwonderingwhowasstrippingtheskinoffhisback,eachwasdevouringhimself,whilescreaminginterrorthatsomeunknowableevilwasdestroyingtheearth.
"Whatcomplaintdotheynowhavetomake?"sheheardHughAkston’svoiceinhermind."Thattheuniverseisirrational?Isit?"
Shesatlookingatthemap,herglancedispassionatelysolemn,asifnoemotionsaverespectwerepermissiblewhenobservingtheawesomepoweroflogic.Shewasseeing—inthechaosofaperishingcontinent—theprecise,mathematicalexecutionofalltheideasmenhadheld.
Theyhadnotwantedtoknowthatthiswaswhattheywanted,theyhadnotwantedtoseethattheyhadthepowertowish,butnotthepowertofake—andtheyhadachievedtheirwishtotheletter,tothelastbloodstainedcommaofit.
Whatweretheythinkingnow,thechampionsofneedandthelechersofpity?—shewondered.
