Атлант расправил плечи

           Iamnotcommittingthecontemptibleactofaskingyoutotakemeonfaith.Youhavetolivebyyourownknowledgeandjudgment.Youwilldamnme.Youwillbehurt.Trynottoletithurtyoutoomuch.RememberthatItoldyouthisandthatitwasallIcouldtellyou."

           Sheheardnothingfromhimorabouthimforayear.Whenshebegantoheargossipandtoreadnewspaperstories,shedidnotbelieve,atfirst,thattheyreferredtoFranciscod‘Anconia.Afterawhile,shehadtobelieveit.

           Shereadthestoryofthepartyhegaveonhisyacht,intheharborofValparaiso;theguestsworebathingsuits,andanartificialrainofchampagneandflowerpetalskeptfallinguponthedecksthroughoutthenight.

           ShereadthestoryofthepartyhegaveatanAlgeriandesertresort;hebuiltapavilionofthinsheetsoficeandpresentedeverywomanguestwithanerminewrap,asagifttobewornfortheoccasion,onconditionthattheyremovetheirwraps,thentheireveninggowns,thenalltherest,intempowiththemeltingofthewalls.

           Shereadtheaccountsofthebusinessventuresheundertookatlengthyintervals;theventureswerespectacularlysuccessfulandruinedhiscompetitors,butheindulgedinthemasinanoccasionalsport,stagingasuddenraid,thenvanishingfromtheindustrialsceneforayearortwo,leavingd‘AnconiaCoppertothemanagementofhisemployees.

           Shereadtheinterviewwherehesaid,"WhyshouldIwishtomakemoney?IhaveenoughtopermitthreegenerationsofdescendantstohaveasgoodatimeasI’mhaving."