Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           Ayearago,hethought,theywouldhaveshothim;twoyearsago,theywouldhaveconfiscatedhisproperty;generationsago,menoftheirkindhadbeenabletoaffordtheluxuryofmurderandexpropriation,thesafetyofpretendingtothemselvesandtheirvictimsthatmateriallootwastheironlyobjective.Buttheirtimewasrunningoutandhisfellowvictimshadgone,gonesoonerthananyhistoricalschedulehadpromised,andthey,thelooters,werenowlefttofacetheundisguisedrealityoftheirowngoal.

           "Look,boys,"hesaidwearily."Iknowwhatyouwant.Youwanttoeatmymillsandhavethem,too.AndallIwanttoknowisthis:whatmakesyouthinkit’spossible?"

           "Idon’tknowwhatyoumean,"saidMouchinaninjuredtoneofvoice."Wesaidwedidn’twantyourmills."

           "Allright,I’llsayitmoreprecisely:Youwanttoeatmeandhaveme,too.Howdoyouproposetodoit?"

           "Idon’tknowhowyoucansaythat,afterwe’vegivenyoueveryassurancethatweconsideryouofinvaluableimportancetothecountry,tothesteelindustry,to—"

           "Ibelieveyou.That’swhatmakestheriddleharder.Youconsidermeofinvaluableimportancetothecountry?Hell,youconsidermeofinvaluableimportanceeventoyourownnecks.Yousittheretrembling,becauseyouknowthatI’mthelastonelefttosaveyourlives—andyouknowthattimeisasshortasthat.