Атлант расправил плечи

           Itwastheonlyliesheevertold.ShedidnotdoittoprotectFrancisco;shediditbecauseshefelt,forsomereasonwhichshecouldnotdefine,thattheincidentwasasecrettooprecioustoshare.

           Nextsummer,whenFranciscocame,shewassixteen.Shestartedrunningdownthehilltomeethim,butstoppedabruptly.Hesawit,stopped,andtheystoodforamoment,lookingateachotheracrossthedistanceofalong,greenslope.Itwashewhowalkeduptowardher,walkedveryslowly,whileshestoodwaiting.

           Whenheapproached,shesmiledinnocently,asifunconsciousofanycontestintendedorwon.

           "Youmightliketoknow,"shesaid,"thatIhaveajobontherailroad.NightoperatoratRockdale."

           Helaughed."Allright,TaggartTranscontinental,nowit’sarace.Let’sseewho’lldogreaterhonor,you—toNatTaggart,orI—toSebastiánd‘Anconia."

           Thatwinter,shestrippedherlifedowntothebrightsimplicityofageometricaldrawing:afewstraightlines—toandfromtheengineeringcollegeinthecityeachday,toandfromherjobatRockdaleStationeachnight—andtheclosedcircleofherroom,aroomlitteredwithdiagramsofmotors,blueprintsofsteelstructures,andrailroadtimetables.

           Mrs.Taggartwatchedherdaughterinunhappybewilderment.Shecouldhaveforgivenalltheomissions,butone:Dagnyshowednosignofinterestinmen,noromanticinclinationwhatever.Mrs.