Атлант расправил плечи

           Rearden,"saidWesleyMouch,thejerkofhisfeaturesimitatingafrightenedsmile;thesmilewasfaked,thefearwasreal."We...wewantthebenefitofyouropiniononthenation’sindustrialcrisis."

           "Ihavenothingtosay."

           "But,Mr.Rearden,"saidDr.Ferris,"allwewantisachancetoco-operatewithyou."

           "I’vetoldyouonce,publicly,thatIdon’tco-operateatthepointofagun."

           "Can’tweburythehatchetatatimelikethis?"saidLawsonbeseechingly.

           "Thegun?Goahead."

           "Uh?"

           "It’syouwho’reholdingit.Buryit,ifyouthinkyoucan."

           "That...thatwasjustafigureofspeech,"Lawsonexplained,blinking,"Iwasspeakingmetaphorically."

           "Iwasn’t."

           "Can’tweallstandtogetherforthesakeofthecountryinthishourofemergency?"saidDr.Ferris."Can’twedisregardourdifferencesofopinion?We’rewillingtomeetyouhalfway.Ifthere’sanyaspectofourpolicywhichyouoppose,justtellusandwe’llissueadirectiveto—"

           "Cutit,boys.Ididn’tcomeheretohelpyoupretendthatI’mnotinthepositionI’minandthatanyhalfwayispossiblebetweenus.

           Nowcometothepoint.You’vepreparedsomenewgimmicktospringonthesteelindustry.