Атлант расправил плечи

           JamesTaggartwasnogoodatthejobofpersuasion,Mr.Thompsonconcluded.ButChickMorrison,whomhebroughtthenextday,didnobetter.

           "I...I’lljustthrowmyselfonyourmercy,Mr.Galt,"saidChickMorrisonwithafranticsmile."You’reright.I’llconcedethatyou’reright—andallIcanappealtoisyourpity.Deepdowninmyheart,Ican’tbelievethatyou’reatotalegoistwhofeelsnopityforthepeople."Hepointedtoapileofpapershehadspreadonatable.

           "Here’sapleasignedbytenthousandschoolchildren,beggingyoutojoinusandsavethem.Here’sapleafromahomeforthecrippled.Here’sapetitionsentbytheministersoftwohundreddifferentfaiths.Here’sanappealfromthemothersofthecountry.Readthem."

           "Isthisanorder?"

           "No!"criedMr.Thompson."It’snotanorder!"

           Galtremainedmotionless,notextendinghishandforthepapers.

           "Thesearejustplain,ordinarypeople,Mr.Galt,"saidChickMorrisoninatoneintendedtoprojecttheirabjecthumility."Theycan’ttellyouwhattodo.Theywouldn’tknow.They’remerelybeggingyou.Theymaybeweak,helpless,blind,ignorant.