Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
HermindontheTerminalahead,shewasstartledbythelovelinessofasuddensight:shesawtheslenderfigureofawomanhurryingtowardher,therayofalamppostsweepingoverlustroushair,nakedarms,theswirlofablackcapeandtheflameofadiamondonherbreast,withthelong,emptycorridorofacitystreetbehindherandskyscrapersdrawnbylonelydotsoflight.Theknowledgethatshewasseeingherownreflectioninthesidemirrorofaflorist’swindow,cameaninstanttoolate:shehadfelttheenchantmentofthefullcontexttowhichthatimageandcitybelonged.Thenshefeltastabofdesolateloneliness,muchwideralonelinessthanthespanofanemptystreet—andastabofangeratherself,atthepreposterouscontrastbetweenherappearanceandthecontextofthisnightandage.
Shesawataxiturnacorner,shewavedtoitandleapedin,slammingthedooragainstafeelingwhichshehopedtoleavebehindher,ontheemptypavementbyaflorist’swindow.Butsheknew—inselfmockery,inbitterness,inlonging—thatthisfeelingwasthesenseofexpectationshehadfeltatherfirstballandatthoseraretimeswhenshehadwantedtheoutwardbeautyofexistencetomatchitsinnersplendor.
