Атлант расправил плечи

           "Doyouknowwhatthismightdotohim?"

           "Yes.He’stheonewho’sgoingtobewipedoutnext."

           "Doyou...findthat...amusing?"

           "MuchmoreamusingthantheruinoftheMexicanplanners."

           Shestoodup.Shehadcalledhimcorruptforyears;shehadfearedit,shehadthoughtaboutit,shehadtriedtoforgetitandneverthinkofitagain;butshehadneversuspectedhowfarthecorruptionhadgone.

           Shewasnotlookingathim;shedidnotknowthatshewassayingitaloud,quotinghiswordsofthepast:"...who’lldogreaterhonor,you—toNatTaggart,orI—toSebastiánd‘Anconia..."

           "Butdidn’tyourealizethatInamedthoseminesinhonorofmygreatancestor?Ithinkitwasatributewhichhewouldhaveliked."

           Ittookheramomenttorecoverhereyesight;shehadneverknownwhatwasmeantbyblasphemyorwhatonefeltonencounteringit;sheknewitnow.

           Hehadrisenandstoodcourteously,smilingdownather;itwasacoldsmile,impersonalandunrevealing.

           Shewastrembling,butitdidnotmatter.Shedidnotcarewhathesaworguessedorlaughedat.

           "IcameherebecauseIwantedtoknowthereasonforwhatyou’vedonewithyourlife,"shesaidtonelessly,withoutanger.

           "Ihavetoldyouthereason,"heansweredgravely,"butyoudon’twanttobelieveit."

           "Ikeptseeingyouasyouwere.Icouldn’tforgetit.Andthatyoushouldhavebecomewhatyouare—

           that

           doesnotbelonginarationaluniverse."