Атлант расправил плечи

           Nowyoumusttaketheirside."

           "What?"

           "Youmusttaketheirside,asfully,consistentlyandloudlyasyourcapacityfordeceptionwillpermit.Youmustactasoneofthem.Youmustactasmyworstenemy.Ifyoudo,I’llhaveachancetocomeoutofitalive.Theyneedmetoomuch,they’llgotoanyextremebeforetheybringthemselvestokillme.Whatevertheyextortfrompeople,theycanextortitonlythroughtheirvictims’values—andtheyhavenovalueofminetoholdovermyhead,nothingtothreatenmewith.Butiftheygettheslightestsuspicionofwhatwearetoeachother,theywillhaveyouonatorturerack—Imean,physicaltorture—beforemyeyes,inlessthanaweek.Iamnotgoingtowaitforthat.Atthefirstmentionofathreattoyou,Iwillkillmyselfandstopthemrightthere."

           Hesaiditwithoutemphasis,inthesameimpersonaltoneofpracticalcalculationastherest.Sheknewthathemeantitandthathewasrighttomeanit:shesawinwhatmannershealonehadthepowertosucceedatdestroyinghim,whereallthepowerofhisenemieswouldfail.Hesawthelookofstillnessinhereyes,alookofunderstandingandofhorror.Henodded,withafaintsmile.

           "Idon’thavetotellyou,"hesaid,"thatifIdoit,itwon’tbeanactofself-sacrifice.Idonotcaretoliveontheirterms,IdonotcaretoobeythemandIdonotcaretoseeyouenduringadrawn-outmurder.