Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
Itseemedmonstrous,yetpeculiarlydevoidofimportance.
Hefeltnothing.Itwasliketryingtosummonemotiontowardinanimateobjects,towardrefuseslidingdownamountainsidetocrushhim.Onecouldfleefromtheslideorbuildretainingwallsagainstitorbecrushed—butonecouldnotgrantanyanger,indignationormoralconcerntothesenselessmotionsoftheun-living;no,worse,hethought—theantiliving.
ThesamesenseofdetachedunconcernremainedwithhimwhilehesatinaPhiladelphiacourtroomandwatchedmenperformthemotionswhichweretogranthimhisdivorce.Hewatchedthemuttermechanicalgeneralities,recitevaguephrasesoffraudulentevidence,playanintricategameofstretchingwordstoconveynofactsandnomeaning.Hehadpaidthemtodoit—hewhomthelawpermittednootherwaytogainhisfreedom,norighttostatethefactsandpleadthetruth—thelawwhichdeliveredhisfate,nottoobjectiverulesobjectivelydefined,buttothearbitrarymercyofajudgewithawizenedfaceandalookofemptycunning.
Lillianwasnotpresentinthecourtroom;herattorneymadegesturesonceinawhile,withtheenergyoflettingwaterrunthroughhisfingers.Theyallknewtheverdictinadvanceandtheyknewitsreason;nootherreasonhadexistedforyears,wherenostandards,savewhim,hadexisted.
