Атлант расправил плечи
The Concerto of Deliverance
Herememberedherhammeringderisionofhiswork,hismills,hisMetal,hissuccess,herememberedherdesiretoseehimdrunk,justonce,herattemptstopushhimintoinfidelity,herpleasureatthethoughtthathehadfallentothelevelofsomesordidromance,herterrorondiscoveringthatthatromancehadbeenanattainment,notadegradation.Herlineofattack,whichhehadfoundsobaffling,hadbeenconstantandclear—itwashisself-esteemshehadsoughttodestroy,knowingthatamanwhosurrendershisvalueisatthemercyofanyone’swill;itwashismoralpurityshehadstruggledtobreach,itwashisconfidentrectitudeshehadwantedtoshatterbymeansofthepoisonofguilt—asif,werehetocollapse,hisdepravitywouldgiveherarighttohers.
Forthesamepurposeandmotive,forthesamesatisfaction,asothersweavecomplexsystemsofphilosophytodestroygenerations,ofestablishdictatorshipstodestroyacountry,soshe,possessingnoweaponsexceptfemininity,hadmadeithergoaltodestroyoneman.
Yourswasthecodeoflife—herememberedthevoiceofhislostyoungteacher—what,then,istheirs?
"Ihavesomethingtotellyou!"criedLillian,withthesoundofthatimpotentragewhichwishesthatwordswerebrassknuckles."You’resoproudofyourself,aren’tyou?You’resoproudofyourname!
ReardenSteel,ReardenMetal,ReardenWife!That’swhatIwas,wasn’tI?Mrs.Rearden!Mrs.
