Атлант расправил плечи

           Taggartcaughtanexpressionwhichshecouldnotquitedefine:itwasmuchmorethangaiety,itwasthelookofsuchanuntouchedpurityofenjoymentthatshefounditabnormal,too:noyounggirlcouldbesoinsensitiveastohavediscoverednosadnessinlife.Herdaughter,sheconcluded,wasincapableofemotion.

           "Dagny,"sheaskedonce,"don’tyoueverwanttohaveagoodtime?"Dagnylookedatherincredulouslyandanswered,"WhatdoyouthinkI’mhaving?"

           ThedecisiontogiveherdaughteraformaldebutcostMrs.Taggartagreatdealofanxiousthought.ShedidnotknowwhethershewasintroducingtoNewYorksocietyMissDagnyTaggartoftheSocialRegisterorthenightoperatorofRockdaleStation;shewasinclinedtobelieveitwasmoretrulythislast;andshefeltcertainthatDagnywouldrejecttheideaofsuchanoccasion.ShewasastonishedwhenDagnyaccepteditwithinexplicableeagerness,foroncelikeachild.

           Shewasastonishedagain,whenshesawDagnydressedfortheparty.Itwasthefirstfemininedressshehadeverworn—agownofwhitechiffonwithahugeskirtthatfloatedlikeacloud.Mrs.Taggarthadexpectedhertolooklikeapreposterouscontrast.Dagnylookedlikeabeauty.Sheseemedbotholderandmoreradiantlyinnocentthanusual;standinginfrontofamirror,sheheldherheadasNatTaggart’swifewouldhaveheldit.

           "Dagny,"Mrs.Taggartsaidgently,reproachfully,"doyouseehowbeautifulyoucanbewhenyouwantto?"

           "Yes,"saidDagny,withoutanyastonishment.