Атлант расправил плечи
The Egoist
Galtsmiled,lookingstraightathim,asifhearingtheunspokensentenceandunderscoringit.Mr.Thompsonlookedaway.
"No,"saidGalt,"youdon’twantmetothink.Whenyouforceamantoactagainsthisownchoiceandjudgment,it’shisthinkingthatyouwanthimtosuspend.Youwanthimtobecomearobot.Ishallcomply."
Mr.Thompsonsighed."Idon’tgetit,"hesaidinatoneofgenuinehelplessness."Something’soffandIcan’tfigureitout.Whyshouldyouaskfortrouble?Withabrainlikeyours—youcanbeatanybody.
I’mnomatchforyou,andyouknowit.Whydon’tyoupretendtojoinus,thengaincontrolandoutsmartme?"
"Forthesamereasonthatmakesyouofferit:becauseyou’dwin."
"Huh?"
"Becauseit’stheattemptofyourbetterstobeatyouonyourtermsthathasallowedyourkindtogetawaywithitforcenturies.
Whichoneofuswouldsucceed,ifIweretocompetewithyouforcontroloveryourmusclemen?Sure,Icouldpretend—andIwouldn’tsaveyoureconomyoryoursystem,nothingwillsavethemnow—butI’dperishandwhatyou’dwinwouldbewhatyou’vealwayswoninthepast:apostponement,onemorestayofexecution,foranotheryear—ormonth—boughtatthepriceofwhateverhopeandeffortmightstillbesqueezedoutofthebestofthehumanremnantsleftaroundyou,includingme.That’sallyou’reafterandthatisthelengthofyourrange.
