Атлант расправил плечи
Their Brothers’ Keepers
Helaybesideher,onhisback,lookingupatthedarknessofthegranitevaultabovethem,shesawhimstretchedonthejaggedslantofsandbagsasifhisbodywerefluidinrelaxation,shesawtheblackwedgeofhercapeflungacrosstherailsattheirfeet,therewerebeadsofmoisturetwinklingonthevault,shiftingslowly,runningintoinvisiblecracks,likethelightsofadistanttraffic.Whenhespoke,hisvoicesoundedasifhewerequietlycontinuingasentenceinanswertothequestionsinhermind,asifhehadnothingtohidefromheranylongerandwhatheowedhernowwasonlytheactofundressinghissoul,assimplyashewouldhaveundressedhisbody:"...thisishowI’vewatchedyoufortenyears...fromhere,fromunderthegroundunderyourfeet...knowingeverymoveyoumadeinyourofficeatthetopofthebuilding,butneverseeingyou,neverenough...tenyearsofnights,spentwaitingtocatchaglimpseofyou,here,ontheplatforms,whenyouboardedatrain...
Whenevertheordercamedowntocoupleyourcar,I’dknowofitandwaitandseeyoucomedowntheramp,andwishyoudidn’twalksofast...itwassomuchlikeyou,thatwalk,I’dknowitanywhere...yourwalkandthoselegsofyours...itwasalwaysyourlegsthatI’dseefirst,hurryingdowntheramp,goingpastmeasIlookedupatyoufromadarksidetrackbelow...IthinkIcouldhavemoldedasculptureofyourlegs,Iknewthem,notwithmyeyes,butwiththepalmsofmyhandswhenIwatchedyougoby...
