Атлант расправил плечи
The Concerto of Deliverance
Theyhadknownthathehadgiventhemablankcheckonreality—hiswasnottoaskwhy?—theirswasnottoaskhow?—letthemdemandthathegivethemashareofhiswealth,thenallthatheowns,thenmorethanheowns—impossible?—no,he’lldosomething!
Hedidnotknowthathehadleapedtohisfeet,thathestoodstaringdownatJamesTaggart,seeingintheunbridledshapelessnessofTaggart’sfeaturestheanswertoallthedevastationhehadwitnessedthroughtheyearsofhislife.
"What’sthematter,Mr.Rearden?WhathaveIsaid?"Taggartwasaskingwithrisinganxiety—buthewasoutofthereachofTaggart’svoice.
Hewasseeingtheprogressionoftheyears,themonstrousextortions,theimpossibledemands,theinexplicablevictoriesofevil,thepreposterousplansandunintelligiblegoalsproclaimedinvolumesofmuddyphilosophy,thedesperatewonderofthevictimswhothoughtthatsomecomplex,malevolentwisdomwasmovingthepowersdestroyingtheworld—andallofithadrestedononetenetbehindtheshiftyeyesofthevictors:he’lldosomething!...We’llgetawaywithit—he’llletus—he’lldosomething!...
Youbusinessmenkeptpredictingthatwe’dperish,butwehaven’t.
...Itwastrue,hethought.Theyhadnotbeenblindtoreality,hehad—blindtotherealityhehimselfhadcreated.No,theyhadnotperished,butwhohad?Whohadperishedtopayfortheirmannerofsurvival?EllisWyatt...KenDanagger..
