Атлант расправил плечи

           Thepublicrelationsmanofhisfather’sofficeinNewYorkhadmoaned,outraged,"But,DonFrancisco,youcan’tdothat!Whatwillthepublicthink?

           Thatnameonadumpofthiskind?""It’smyname,"Franciscohadanswered.

           Whenheenteredhisfather’sofficeinBuenosAires,alargeroom,severeandmodernasalaboratory,withphotographsofthepropertiesofd‘AnconiaCopperassoleornamentonitswalls—photographsofthegreatestmines,oredocksandfoundriesintheworld—hesaw,intheplaceofhonor,facinghisfather’sdesk,aphotographoftheClevelandfoundrywiththenewsignaboveitsgate.

           Hisfather’seyesmovedfromthephotographtoFrancisco’sfaceashestoodinfrontofthedesk.

           "Isn’titalittletoosoon?"hisfatherasked.

           "Icouldn’thavestoodfouryearsofnothingbutlectures."

           "Wheredidyougetthemoneyforyourfirstpaymentonthatproperty?"

           "ByplayingtheNewYorkstockmarket."

           "What?

           Whotaughtyoutodothat?"

           "Itisnotdifficulttojudgewhichindustrialventureswillsucceedandwhichwon’t."

           "Wheredidyougetthemoneytoplaywith?"

           "Fromtheallowanceyousentme,sir,andfrommywages."

           "Whendidyouhavetimetowatchthestockmarket?"

           "WhileIwaswritingathesisontheinfluence—uponsubsequentmetaphysicalsystems—ofAristotle’stheoryoftheImmovableMover."

           Francisco’sstayinNewYorkwasbrief,thatfall.HisfatherwassendinghimtoMontanaasassistantsuperintendentofad‘Anconiamine.