Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
Whatatimetothinkofit!shetoldherselfinmockery—notnow!shecriedtoherselfinanger—butadesolatevoicekeptaskingherquietlytotherattleofthetaxi’swheels:Youwhobelievedyoumustliveforyourhappiness,whatdoyounowhaveleftofit?—whatareyougainingfromyourstruggle?—yes!sayithonestly:what’sinitforyou?—orareyoubecomingoneofthoseabjectaltruistswhohasnoanswertothatquestionanylonger?...Notnow!—sheordered,astheglowingentrancetotheTaggartTerminalflaredupintherectangleofthetaxi’swindshield.
ThemenintheTerminalmanager’sofficewerelikeextinguishedsignals,asifhere,too,acircuitwerebrokenandtherewerenolivingcurrenttomakethemmove.Theylookedatherwithakindofinanimatepassivity,asifitmadenodifferencewhethersheletthemstaystillorthrewaswitchtosettheminmotion.
TheTerminalmanagerwasabsent.Thechiefengineercouldnotbefound;hehadbeenseenattheTerminaltwohoursago,notsince.Theassistantmanagerhadexhaustedhispowerofinitiativebyvolunteeringtocallher.Theothersvolunteerednothing.Thesignalengineerwasacollege-boyishmaninhisthirties,whokeptsayingaggressively,"Butthishasneverhappenedbefore,MissTaggart!Theinterlockerhasneverfailed.It’snotsupposedtofail.
