Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           Nooneanswered;theywereactingasiftheywishedthattheirpauses,nottheirwords,wouldstatewhattheywerediscussing.

           "Itwon’twork,"saidTinkyHolloway,"Hewon’tgivein."

           "That’swhatyouthink!"saidFerris,andchuckled,"Youhaven’tseenourexperimentalmodelinaction.Lastmonth,wegotthreeconfessionsinthreeunsolvedmurdercases."

           "If..."startedMr.Thompson,andhisvoicecrackedsuddenlyintoamoan,"ifhedies,weallperish!"

           "Don’tworry,"saidFerris."Hewon’t.TheFerrisPersuaderissafelycalculatedagainstthatpossibility."

           Mr.Thompsondidnotanswer.

           "Itseemstome...thatwehavenootherchoice..."saidMouch;itwasalmostawhisper.

           Theyremainedsilent;Mr.Thompsonwasstrugglingnottoseethattheywerealllookingathim.Thenhecriedsuddenly,"Oh,doanythingyouwant!Icouldn’thelpit!Doanythingyouwant!"

           Dr.FerristurnedtoLawson."Gene,"hesaidtensely,stillwhispering,"runtotheradio-controloffice.Orderallstationstostandby.TellthemthatI’llhaveMr.Galtontheairwithinthreehours."

           Lawsonleapedtohisfeet,withasudden,mirthfulgrin,andranoutoftheroom.

           Sheknew.Sheknewwhattheyintendeddoingandwhatitwaswithinthemthatmadeitpossible.Theydidnotthinkthatthiswouldsucceed.