Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
Sheknewthatbehindtheclattering,lumberingpretenseoftheircouncilsessions,committeemeetingsandmassdebates,thedecisionsweremadeinadvance,infurtiveinformality,atluncheons,dinnersandbars,thegravertheissue,themorecasualthemethodofsettlingit.Itwasthefirsttimethattheyhadaskedher,theoutsider,theenemy,tooneofthosesecretsessions;itwas,shethought,anacknowledgmentofthefactthattheyneededherand,perhaps,thefirststepoftheirsurrender;itwasachanceshecouldnotleaveuntaken.
Butasshesatinthecandlelightofthediningroom,shefeltcertainthatshehadnochance;shefeltrestlesslyunabletoacceptthatcertainty,sinceshecouldnotgraspitsreason,yetlethargicallyreluctanttopursueanyinquiry.
"As,Ithink,youwillconcede,MissTaggart,therenowseemstobenoeconomicjustificationforthecontinuedexistenceofarailroadlineinMinnesota,which...""AndevenMissTaggartwill,I’msure,agreethatcertaintemporaryretrenchmentsseemtobeindicated,until...""Nobody,notevenMissTaggart,willdenythattherearetimeswhenitisnecessarytosacrificethepartsforthesakeofthewhole..."Asshelistenedtothementionsofhernametossedintotheconversationathalf-hourintervals,tossedperfunctorily,withthespeaker’seyesneverglancinginherdirection,shewonderedwhatmotivehadmadethemwanthertobepresent.
