Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
Ontheedgeofthecity,aclusteroftrainsgatheredattheentrancetotheTerminaltunnelsandgrewthroughtheminutesofstillness,likeblooddammedbyaclotinsideavein,unabletorushintothechambersoftheheart.
Dagny,thatnight,wassittingatatableinaprivatediningroomoftheWayne-Falkland.Thewaxofcandleswasdrippingdownonthewhitecamelliasandlaurelleavesatthebaseofthesilvercandlesticks,arithmeticalcalculationswerepenciledonthedamasklinentablecloth,andacigarbuttwasswimminginafingerbowl.Thesixmeninformaldinnerjackets,facingheraboutthetable,wereWesleyMouch,EugeneLawson,Dr.FloydFerris,ClemWeatherby,JamesTaggartandCuffyMeigs.
"Why?"shehadasked,whenJimhadtoldherthatshehadtoattendthatdinner."Well...becauseourBoardofDirectorsistomeetnextweek.""And?""You’reinterestedinwhat’sgoingtobedecidedaboutourMinnesotaLine,aren’tyou?""IsthatgoingtobedecidedattheBoardmeeting?""Well,notexactly.""Isitgoingtobedecidedatthisdinner?""Notexactly,but...oh,whydoyoualwayshavetobesodefinite?Nothing’severdefinite.Besides,theyinsistedthattheywantedyoutocome.""Why?""Isn’tthatsufficient?"
Shedidnotaskwhythosemenchosetomakealltheircrucialdecisionsatpartiesofthiskind;sheknewthattheydid.
