Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
"Idon’tunderstandyou,"saidPhilip;hisvoicehadtheangrybewildermentofamanwhorecitestheformulasofawell-testedrole,butkeepsgettingthewrongcuesinanswer."Idon’tunderstandwhyonecan’ttalktoyouanymore.Idon’tunderstandwhatsortoftheoryyou’repropoundingand—"
"Ohyes,youdo."
Asifrefusingtobelievethattheformulascouldfail,Philipburstoutwith:"Sincewhendidyoutaketoabstractphilosophy?You’reonlyabusinessman,you’renotqualifiedtodealwithquestionsofprinciple,yououghttoleaveittotheexpertswhohaveconcededforcenturies—"
"Cutit,Philip.What’sthegimmick?"
"Gimmick?"
"Whythesuddenambition?"
"Well,atatimelikethis..."
"Likewhat?"
"Well,everymanhastherighttohavesomemeansofsupportand...andnotbelefttobetossedaside...Whenthingsaresouncertain,aman’sgottohavesomesecurity...somefoothold...Imean,atatimelikethis,ifanythinghappenedtoyou,I’dhaveno—"
"Whatdoyouexpecttohappentome?"
"Oh,Idon’t!Idon’t!"Thecrywasoddly,incomprehensiblygenuine.
"Idon’texpectanythingtohappen...Doyou?"
"Suchaswhat?"
"HowdoIknow?...ButI’vegotnothingexceptthepittanceyougivemeand...
