Атлант расправил плечи
The Generator
Thesighthewasconfrontingwaswithinhim.Theprotectivewallsofemotion,ofevasion,ofpretense,ofsemi-thinkingandpseudo-words,builtupbyhimthroughallofhisyears,hadcrashedinthespanofonemoment—themomentwhenheknewthathewantedGalttodie,knowingfullythathisowndeathwouldfollow.
Hewassuddenlyseeingthemotivethathaddirectedalltheactionsofhislife.Itwasnothisincommunicablesoulorhisloveforothersorhissocialdutyoranyofthefraudulentsoundsbywhichhehadmaintainedhisself-esteem:itwasthelusttodestroywhateverwasliving,forthesakeofwhateverwasnot.Itwastheurgetodefyrealitybythedestructionofeverylivingvalue,forthesakeofprovingtohimselfthathecouldexistindefianceofrealityandwouldneverhavetobeboundbyanysolid,immutablefacts.Amomentago,hehadbeenabletofeelthathehatedGaltaboveallmen,thatthehatredwasproofofGalt’sevil,whichheneeddefinenofurther,thathewantedGalttobedestroyedforthesakeofhisownsurvival.NowheknewthathehadwantedGalt’sdestructionatthepriceofhisowndestructiontofollow,heknewthathehadneverwantedtosurvive,heknewthatitwasGalt’sgreatnesshehadwantedtotortureanddestroy—hewasseeingitasgreatnessbyhisownadmission,greatnessbytheonlystandardthatexisted,whetheranyonechosetoadmititornot:thegreatnessofamanwhowasmasterofrealityinamannernootherhadequaled.