Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
Thenwhydoyoupermitsufferinginyourworld?Youproclaimthepursuitofhappiness,butyoudoommetofrustration.Don’tIhavetherighttodemandanyformofhappinessIchoose?Isn’tthatadebtwhichyouoweme?AmInotyourbrother?"
Hisglancewaslikeaprowler’sflashlightsearchingherfaceforashredofpity.Itfoundnothingbutalookofrevulsion.
"It’syoursinifIsuffer!It’syourmoralfailure!I’myourbrother,thereforeI’myourresponsibility,butyou’vefailedtosupplymywants,thereforeyou’reguilty!Allofmankind’smoralleadershavesaidsoforcenturies—whoareyoutosayotherwise?You’resoproudofyourself,youthinkthatyou’repureandgood—butyoucan’tbegood,solongasI’mwretched.Mymiseryisthemeasureofyoursin.Mycontentmentisthemeasureofyourvirtue.Iwantthiskindofworld,today’sworld,itgivesmemyshareofauthority,itallowsmetofeelimportant—makeitworkforme!—dosomething!—howdoIknowwhat?—it’syourproblemandyourduty!Youhavetheprivilegeofstrength,butI—Ihavetherightofweakness!That’samoralabsolute!
Don’tyouknowit?Don’tyou?Don’tyou?"
Hisglancewasnowlikethehandsofamanhangingoveranabyss,gropingfranticallyfortheslightestfissureofdoubt,butslippingontheclean,polishedrockofherface.
"Youbastard,"shesaidevenly,withoutemotion,sincethewordswerenotaddressedtoanythinghuman.
