Атлант расправил плечи

           TheydidnotthinkthatGaltwouldgivein;theydidnotwanthimtogivein.Theydidnotthinkthatanythingcouldsavethemnow;theydidnotwanttobesaved.Movedbythepanicoftheirnamelessemotions,theyhadfoughtagainstrealityalltheirlives—andnowtheyhadreachedamomentwhenatlasttheyfeltathome.Theydidnothavetoknowwhytheyfeltit,theywhohadchosennevertoknowwhattheyfelt—theymerelyexperiencedasenseofrecognition,sincethiswaswhattheyhadbeenseeking,thiswasthekindofrealitythathadbeenimpliedinalloftheirfeelings,theiractions,theirdesires,theirchoices,theirdreams.ThiswasthenatureandthemethodoftherebellionagainstexistenceandoftheundefinedquestforanunnamedNirvana.Theydidnotwanttolive;theywantedhimtodie.

           Thehorrorshefeltwasonlyabriefstab,likethewrenchofaswitchingperspective:shegraspedthattheobjectsshehadthoughttobehumanwerenot.Shewasleftwithasenseofclarity,ofafinalanswerandoftheneedtoact.Hewasindanger;therewasnotimeandnoroominherconsciousnesstowasteemotionontheactionsofthesubhuman.

           "Wemustmakesure,"WesleyMouchwaswhispering,"thatnobodyeverlearnsaboutit..."

           "Nobodywill,"saidFerris;theirvoiceshadthecautiousdroneofconspirators."It’sasecret,separateunitontheInstitutegrounds...

           Sound-proofedandsafelydistantfromtherest...Onlyaveryfewofourstaffhaveeverenteredit...