Атлант расправил плечи

           "Iamproudtopaytributetonight,"saidtheleaderoftheLegislature,thenextspeaker,"tothegreatesteconomicorganizertheworldhaseverdiscovered,themostgiftedadministrator,themostbrilliantplanner—JohnGalt,themanwhowillsaveus!Iamheretothankhiminthenameofthepeople!"

           This—thoughtDagny,withasickenedamusement—wasthespectacleofthesincerityofthedishonest.Themostfraudulentpartofthefraudwasthattheymeantit.TheywereofferingGaltthebestthattheirviewofexistencecouldoffer,theyweretryingtotempthimwiththatwhichwastheirdreamoflife’shighestfulfillment:thisspreadofmindlessadulation,theunrealityofthisenormouspretense—approvalwithoutstandards,tributewithoutcontent,honorwithoutcauses,admirationwithoutreasons,lovewithoutacodeofvalues.

           "Wehavediscardedallourpettydifferences,"WesleyMouchwasnowsayingintothemicrophone,"allpartisanopinions,allpersonalinterestsandselfishviews—inordertoserveundertheselflessleadershipofJohnGalt!"

           Whyaretheylistening?—thoughtDagny.Don’ttheyseethehallmarkofdeathinthosefaces,andthehallmarkoflifeinhis?

           Whichstatedotheywishtochoose?Whichstatedotheyseekformankind?...Shelookedatthefacesintheballroom.Theywerenervouslyblank;theyshowednothingbutthesaggingweightoflethargyandthestalenessofachronicfear.