Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
Wecan’tpermitit!
Wecan’tpermitittobetrue!"
Reardenturnedabruptlytolookoff,atthecity."I’dgiveanythingtoknowwhereheis,"hesaid,hisvoicelow."Justtoknowwhereheis,rightnow,atthismoment."
"Whatwouldyoudo,ifyouknewit?"
Hedroppedhishandinagestureoffutility."Iwouldn’tapproachhim.TheonlyhomageIcanstillpayhimisnottocryforforgivenesswherenoforgivenessispossible."
Theyremainedsilent.Theylistenedtothevoicesaroundthem,tothesplintersofpanictricklingthroughtheluxuriousroom.
Shehadnotbeenawarethatthesamepresenceseemedtobeaninvisibleguestateverytable,thatthesamesubjectkeptbreakingthroughtheattemptsatanyotherconversation.Peoplesatinamanner,notquiteofcringing,butasiftheyfoundtheroomtoolargeandtooexposed—aroomofglass,bluevelvet,aluminumandgentlelighting.Theylookedasiftheyhadcometothisroomatthepriceofcountlessevasions,toletithelpthempretendthattheirswasstillacivilizedexistence—butanactoЈprimevalviolencehadblastedthenatureoftheirworldintotheopenandtheywerenolongerablenottosee.
"Howcouldhe?Howcouldhe?"awomanwasdemandingwithpetulantterror."Hehadnorighttodoit!"
"Itwasanaccident,"saidayoungmanwithastaccatovoiceandanodorofpublicpayroll.
