Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
Atatimewhenthevoicesofrailroadofficialsutterednothingbutsoundsdesignedtoavoidcommunication,thevoicesofnamelessmenwereherlastlinktothesystem,thelastsparksofreasonandtorturedhonestyflashingbrieflythroughthemilesofTaggarttrack.
"MissTaggart,itisnotmyplacetocallyou,butnobodyelsewill,"saidthevoicethatcameonthewire,thistime;thevoicesoundedyoungandtoocalm."Inanotherdayortwo,adisaster’sgoingtohappenherethelikeofwhichthey’veneverseen,andtheywon’tbeabletohideitanylonger,onlyitwillbetoolatebythen,andmaybeit’stoolatealready."
"Whatisit?Whoareyou?"
"OneofyouremployeesoftheMinnesotaDivision,MissTaggart.
Inanotherdayortwo,thetrainswillstoprunningoutofhere—andyouknowwhatthatmeans,attheheightoftheharvest.Attheheightofthebiggestharvestwe’veeverhad.They’llstop,becausewehavenocars.Theharvestfreightcarshavenotbeensenttousthisyear."
"Whatdidyousay?"Shefeltasifminuteswentbybetweenthewordsoftheunnaturalvoicethatdidnotsoundlikeherown.
"Thecarshavenotbeensent.Fifteenthousandshouldhavebeenherebynow.AsfarasIcouldlearn,abouteightthousandcarsisallwegot.I’vebeencallingDivisionHeadquartersforaweek.They’vebeentellingmenottoworry.Lasttime,theytoldmetomindmyowndamnbusiness.
