Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           Sheglancedslowlyabouttheroom,hereyesmovingfromthetowersofthecityinthewindowtothewoodenraftersofhisceiling,tothecrackedplasterofhiswalls,totheironpostsofhisbed."You’vebeenhereallthattime,"shesaid."You’velivedherefortwelveyears...here...likethis..."

           "Likethis,"hesaid,throwingopenthedoorattheendoftheroom.

           Shegasped:thelong,light-flooded,windowlessspacebeyondthethreshold,enclosedinashellofsoftlylustrousmetal,likeasmallballroomaboardasubmarine,wasthemostefficientlymodernlaboratoryshehadeverseen.

           "Comein,"hesaid,grinning."Idon’thavetokeepsecretsfromyouanylonger."

           Itwaslikecrossingtheborderintoadifferentuniverse.Shelookedatthecomplexequipmentsparklinginabright,diffusedglow,atthemeshofglitteringwires,attheblackboardchalkedwithmathematicalformulas,atthelongcountersofobjectsshapedbytheruthlessdisciplineofapurpose—thenatthesaggingboardsandcrumblingplasterofthegarret.Either-or,shethought;thiswasthechoiceconfrontingtheworld:ahumansoulintheimageofoneoroftheother.

           "YouwantedtoknowwhereIworkedforelevenmonthsoutoftheyear,"hesaid.