Атлант расправил плечи
The Egoist
"
Theleaderspreadhishandsoutinagestureofpainedhelplessness.
"Unfortunately,myhandsaretied.Orders,youknow.Wehavetoenterthatroom."
"Enterit."
"It’sonlyaformality,amereformality.There’snoreasonwhythingsshouldnotbehandledamicably.Won’tyoupleaseco-operate?"
"Isaid,no."
"I’msureyouwouldn’twantustoresorttoany...unnecessarymeans."Hegotnoanswer."Wehavetheauthoritytobreakthatdoordown,youknow—but,ofcourse,wewouldn’twanttodoit."Hewaited,butgotnoanswer."Forcethatlock!"hesnappedtothesoldier.
DagnyglancedatGalt’sface.Hestoodimpassively,hisheadheldlevel,shesawtheundisturbedlinesofhisprofile,hiseyesdirectedatthedoor.Thelockwasasmall,squareplateofpolishedcopper,withoutkeyholeorfixtures.
Thesilenceandthesuddenimmobilityofthethreebruteswereinvoluntary,whiletheburglar’stoolsinthehandsofthefourthwentgratingcautiouslyagainstthewoodofthedoor.
Thewoodgavewayeasily,andsmallchipsfelldown,theirthudsmagnifiedbythesilenceintotherattleofadistantgun.Whentheburglar’sjimmyattackedthecopperplate,theyheardafaintrustlebehindthedoor,nolouderthanthesighofawearymind.Inanotherminute,thelockfelloutandthedoorshudderedforwardthewidthofaninch.
