Атлант расправил плечи
The Egoist
Thesoldierjumpedback.Theleaderapproached,hisstepsirregularlikehiccoughs,andthrewthedooropen.Theyfacedablackholeofunknowncontentandunrelieveddarkness.
TheyglancedatoneanotherandatGalt;hedidnotmove;hestoodlookingatthedarkness.
Dagnyfollowedthem,whentheysteppedoverthethreshold,precededbythebeamsoftheirflashlights.Thespacebeyondwasalongshellofmetal,emptybutforheavydriftsofdustonthefloor,anodd,grayish-whitedustthatseemedtobelongamongruinsundisturbedforcenturies.Theroomlookeddeadlikeanemptyskull.
Sheturnedaway,nottoletthemseeinherfacethescreamoftheknowledgeofwhatthatdusthadbeenafewminutesago.Don’ttrytoopenthatdoor,hehadsaidtoherattheentrancetothepowerhouseofAtlantis...ifyoutriedtobreakitdown,themachineryinsidewouldcollapseintorubblelongbeforethedoorwouldgiveway...Don’ttrytoopenthatdoor—shewasthinking,butknewthatwhatshewasnowseeingwasthevisualformofthestatement:Don’ttrytoforceamind.
Themenbackedoutinsilenceandwentonbackingtowardtheexitdoor,thenstoppeduncertainly,oneafteranother,atrandompointsofthegarret,asifabandonedbyarecedingtide.
"Well,"saidGalt,reachingforhisovercoatandturningtotheleader,"let’sgo."
ThreefloorsoftheWayne-FalklandHotelhadbeenevacuatedandtransformedintoanarmedcamp.
