Атлант расправил плечи
“This is John Galt speaking”
Hestoodalone,apartfromtheothers,andshesawthemomentwhenhiseyessawherenter;helookedlikeamaninawhorehousewhohadacceptedthenatureofhissurroundingsuntilsuddenlycaughttherebyhiswife:itwasalookofguiltintheprocessofbecominghatred.ThenshesawRobertStadler,thescientist,turnawayasifhehadnotseenher—asifhisrefusaltoseecouldwipeafactoutofexistence.
Mr.Thompsonwaspacingamongthegroups,snappingatrandombystanders,intherestlessmannerofamanofactionwhofeelscontemptforthedutyofmakingspeeches.Hewasclutchingasheafoftypewrittenpages,asifitwereabundleofoldclothingabouttobediscarded.
JamesTaggartcaughthiminmid-step,tosayuncertainlyandloudly,"Mr.Thompson,mayIpresentmysister,MissDagnyTaggart?"
"Soniceofyoutocome,MissTaggart,"saidMr.Thompson,shakingherhandasifshewereanothervoterfrombackhomewhosenamehehadneverheardbefore;thenhemarchedbrisklyoff.
"Where’stheconference,Jim?"sheasked,andglancedattheclock:itwasahugewhitedialwithablackhandslicingtheminutes,likeaknifemovingtowardthehourofeight.
"Ican’thelpit!Idon’trunthisshow!"hesnapped.
EddieWillersglancedatherwithalookofbitterlypatientastonishment,andsteppedclosertoherside.
