Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
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"WerethefreightcarssenttoMinnesota?""TheentriesforthemonthsofAugustandSeptemberhavebeenprocessedby—""WerethefreightcarssenttoMinnesota?""Myfilesindicatethelocationsoffreightcarsbystate,date,classificationand—""DoyouknowwhetherthecarsweresenttoMinnesota?""Astotheinterstatemotionoffreightcars,IwouldhavetoreferyoutothefilesofMr.Bensonandof—"
Therewasnothingtolearnfromthefiles.Therewerecarefulentries,eachconveyingfourpossiblemeanings,withreferenceswhichledtoreferenceswhichledtoafinalreferencewhichwasmissingfromthefiles.ItdidnottakeherlongtodiscoverthatthecarshadnotbeensenttoMinnesotaandthattheorderhadcomefromCuffyMeigs—butwhohadcarrieditout,whohadtangledthetrail,whatstepshadbeentakenbywhatcompliantmentopreservetheappearanceofasafelynormaloperation,withoutasinglecryofprotesttoarousesomebraverman’sattention,whohadfalsifiedthereports,andwherethecarshadgone—seemed,atfirst,impossibletolearn.
