Атлант расправил плечи

           Thesunhadnotyetrisenandtheairseemedradiantinitsstead.Shefeltnoexhaustion.Shefeltasifshewerejustgettingup.

           Shestartedtowardhercar,butFranciscosaid,"Let’swalkhome.We’llcomeforthecarlater."

           "Allright."

           Shewasnotastonishedandshedidnotmindtheprospectofwalkingfivemiles.Itseemednatural;naturaltothemoment’speculiarrealitythatwassharplyclear,butcutofffromeverything,immediate,butdisconnected,likeabrightislandinawalloffog,theheightened,unquestioningrealityonefeelswhenoneisdrunk.

           Theroadledthroughthewoods.Theyleftthehighwayforanoldtrailthatwenttwistingamongthetreesacrossmilesofuntouchedcountry.Therewerenotracesofhumanexistencearoundthem.Oldruts,overgrownwithgrass,madehumanpresenceseemmoredistant,addingthedistanceofyearstothedistanceofmiles.Ahazeoftwilightremainedovertheground,butinthebreaksbetweenthetreetrunkstherewereleavesthathunginpatchesofshininggreenandseemedtolighttheforest.Theleaveshungstill.Theywalked,alonetomovethroughamotionlessworld.Shenoticedsuddenlythattheyhadnotsaidawordforalongtime.

           Theycametoaclearing.Itwasasmallhollowatthebottomofashaftmadeofstraightrockhillsides.Astreamcutacrossthegrass,andtreebranchesflowedlowtotheground,likeacurtainofgreenfluid.Thesoundofthewaterstressedthesilence.Thedistantcutofopenskymadetheplaceseemmorehidden.