Атлант расправил плечи
The Egoist
Itwillprotectthepropertyoftherichandgiveagreatersharetothepoor.Itwillcutdowntheburdenofyourtaxesandprovideyouwithmoregovernmentbenefits.Itwilllowerpricesandraisewages.Itwillgivemorefreedomtotheindividualandstrengthenthebondsofcollectiveobligations.Itwillcombinetheefficiencyoffreeenterprisewiththegenerosityofaplannedeconomy."
Dagnyobservedsomefaces—ittookheraneffortfullytobelieveit—whowerelookingatGaltwithhatred.Jimwasoneofthem,shenoted.WhentheimageofMouchheldthescreen,thesefaceswererelaxedinboredcontentment,whichwasnotpleasure,butthecomfortoflicense,ofknowingthatnothingwasdemandedofthemandnothingwasfirmorcertain.WhenthecameraflashedtheimageofGalt,theirlipsgrewtightandtheirfeaturesweresharpenedbyalookofpeculiarcaution.Shefeltwithsuddencertaintythattheyfearedtheprecisionofhisface,theunyieldingclarityofhisfeatures,thelookofbeinganentity,alookofassertingexistence.Theyhatehimforbeinghimself—shethought,feelingatouchofcoldhorror,asthenatureoftheirsoulsbecamerealtoher—theyhatehimforhiscapacitytolive.
Dotheywanttolive?—shethoughtinself-mockery.Throughthestunnednumbnessofhermind,sherememberedthesoundofhissentence:"Thedesirenottobeanything,isthedesirenottobe."
ItwasnowMr.
