Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
"Manisonlymuscles,isn’the?We’regoingback—backtowheretherewerenointerlockingsystems,nosemaphores,noelectricity—backtothetimewhentrainsignalswerenotsteelandwire,butmenholdinglanterns.Physicalmen,servingaslampposts.You’veadvocateditlongenough—yougotwhatyouwanted.Oh,youthoughtthatyourtoolswoulddetermineyourideas?Butithappenstobetheotherwayaround—andnowyou’regoingtoseethekindoftoolsyourideashavedetermined!"
Buteventogobacktookanactofintelligence—shethought,feelingtheparadoxofherownposition,asshelookedatthelethargyofthefacesaroundher.
"Howwillweworktheswitches,MissTaggart?"
"Byhand."
"Andthesignals?"
"Byhand."
"How?"
"Byplacingamanwithalanternateverysignalpost."
"How?There’snotenoughclearance."
"We’llusealternatetracks."
"Howwillthemenknowwhichwaytothrowtheswitches?"
"Bywrittenorders."
"Uh?"
"Bywrittenorders—justasintheolddays."Shepointedtothetowerdirector."He’sworkingoutascheduleofhowtomovethetrainsandwhichtrackstouse.
