Атлант расправил плечи
“This is John Galt speaking”
Somespokeofhiminshrillcurses—otherswhispered,withalookofguiltandterror,asifanamelessretributionwerenowtodescenduponthem—sometried,withhystericalevasiveness,toactasifnothinghadhappened.
Thenewspapers,likepuppetsontangledstrings,wereshoutingwiththesamebelligerenceandonthesamedates:"ItissocialtreasontoascribetoomuchimportancetoHankRearden’sdesertionandtounderminepublicmoralebytheold-fashionedbeliefthatanindividualcanbeofanysignificancetosociety.""ItissocialtreasontospreadrumorsaboutthedisappearanceofHankRearden.Mr.Reardenhasnotdisappeared,heisinhisoffice,runninghismills,asusual,andtherehasbeennotroubleatReardenSteel,exceptaminordisturbance,aprivatescuffleamongsomeworkers.""ItissocialtreasontocastanunpatrioticlightuponthetragiclossofHankRearden.Mr.Reardenhasnotdeserted,hewaskilledinanautomobileaccidentonhiswaytowork,andhisgrief-strickenfamilyhasinsistedonaprivatefuneral."
Itwasstrange,shethought,toobtainnewsbymeansofnothingbutdenials,asifexistencehadceased,factshadvanishedandonlythefranticnegativesutteredbyofficialsandcolumnistsgaveanycluetotherealitytheyweredenying."ItisnottruethattheMillerSteelFoundryofNewJerseyhasgoneoutofbusiness.""ItisnottruethattheJansenMotorCompanyofMichiganhascloseditsdoors.
