Атлант расправил плечи

           "hesaidfeeblyoncemore,butitwasnolongerthevoiceofalivingconsciousness.

           Hestoodforamoment,staringblindlyatspace,thenhislegsgaveway,foldinglimply,andhesatonthefloor,stillstaring,unawareofhisactionorsurroundings.

           "Jim...!"calledMouch.Therewasnoanswer.

           MouchandFerrisdidnotaskthemselvesorwonderwhatitwasthathadhappenedtoTaggart:theyknewthattheymustneverattempttodiscoverit,underperilofsharinghisfate.Theyknewwhoitwasthathadbeenbrokentonight.TheyknewthatthiswastheendofJamesTaggart,whetherhisphysicalbodysurvivedornot.

           "Let’s...let’sgetJimoutofhere,"saidFerrisshakily."Let’sgethimtoadoctor...orsomewhere..."

           TheypulledTaggarttohisfeet;hedidnotresist,heobeyedlethargically,andhemovedhisfeetwhenpushed.ItwashewhohadreachedthestatetowhichhehadwantedGalttobereduced.Holdinghisarmsatbothsides,histwofriendsledhimoutoftheroom.

           HesavedthemfromthenecessityofadmittingtothemselvesthattheywantedtoescapeGalt’seyes.Galtwaswatchingthem;hisglancewastooausterelyperceptive.

           "We’llbeback,"snappedFerristothechiefoftheguards."Stayhereanddon’tletanyonein.Understand?Noone."

           TheypushedTaggartintotheircar,parkedbythetreesattheentrance."We’llbeback.