Атлант расправил плечи
The Concerto of Deliverance
Hehadinvestedlargesumsinapublic-spiritedprojecttoassisttheundevelopedpeoplesofSouthAmerica,andthatcoppercrashoftheirshasdealthimaseverefinancialblow.Soit’sonlyamatterofgivinghimachancetorecover,ahelpinghandtobridgethegap,abitoftemporaryassistance,nothingmore.Allwehavetodoisjustequalizethesacrifice—theneverybodywillrecoverandprosper."
"You’vebeenequalizingsacrificeforoverahundred"—hestopped—"forthousandsofyears,"saidReardenslowly."Don’tyouseethatyou’reattheendoftheroad?"
"That’sjusttheory!"snappedWesleyMouch.
Reardensmiled."Iknowyourpractice,"hesaidsoftly."It’syourtheorythatI’mtryingtounderstand."
HeknewthatthespecificreasonbehindthePlanwasOrrenBoyle;heknewthattheworkingofanintricatemechanism,operatedbypull,threat,pressure,blackmail—amechanismlikeanirrationaladdingmachinerunamuckandthrowingupanychancesumatthewhimofanymoment—hadhappenedtoadduptoBoyle’spressureuponthesementoextortforhimthislastpieceofplunder.HeknewalsothatBoylewasnotthecauseofitortheessentialtoconsider,thatBoylewasonlyachancerider,notthebuilder,oftheinfernalmachinethathaddestroyedtheworld,thatitwasnotBoylewhohadmadeitpossible,noranyofthemeninthisroom.
