Атлант расправил плечи
The Theme
Shehadneverheardthatsymphonybefore,butsheknewthatitwaswrittenbyRichardHalley. Sherecognizedtheviolenceandthemagnificentintensity. Sherecognizedthestyleofthetheme;itwasaclear,complexmelody—atatimewhennoonewrotemelodyanylonger.... Shesatlookingupattheceilingofthecar,butshedidnotseeitandshehadforgottenwhereshewas. Shedidnotknowwhethershewashearingafullsymphonyorchestraoronlythetheme;perhapsshewashearingtheorchestrationinherownmind.
ShethoughtdimlythattherehadbeenpremonitoryechoesofthisthemeinallofRichardHalley’swork,throughalltheyearsofhislongstruggle,totheday,inhismiddle-age,whenfamestruckhimsuddenlyandknockedhimout. This—shethought,listeningtothesymphony—hadbeenthegoalofhisstruggle. Sherememberedhalf-hintedattemptsinhismusic,phrasesthatpromisedit,brokenbitsofmelodythatstartedbutneverquitereachedit;whenRichardHalleywrotethis,he...Shesatupstraight.
WhendidRichardHalleywritethis?
Inthesameinstant,sherealizedwhereshewasandwonderedforthefirsttimewherethatmusiccamefrom.
Afewstepsaway,attheendofthecar,abrakemanwasadjustingthecontrolsoftheair-conditioner.Hewasblondandyoung.Hewaswhistlingthethemeofthesymphony. Sherealizedthathehadbeenwhistlingitforsometimeandthatthiswasallshehadheard.
Shewatchedhimincredulouslyforawhile,beforesheraisedhervoicetoask,"Tellmeplease,whatareyouwhistling?"
Theboyturnedtoher.
