Атлант расправил плечи
In the Name of the Best among us
Whenthemotionturnedtoalong,smoothstreak,whentheysawthedarkshapesofthetreessweepingdownanddroppingpasttheirwindows,GaltleanedsilentlyoverandpressedhislipstoDagny’shand:hewasleavingtheouterworldwiththeonevaluehehadwantedtowinfromit.
Franciscohadproducedafirst-aidkitandwasremovingRearden’sshirttobandagehiswound.GaltsawthethinredtricklerunningfromRearden’sshoulderdownhischest.
"Thankyou,Hank,"hesaid.
Reardensmiled."IwillrepeatwhatyousaidwhenIthankedyou,onourfirstmeeting:‘IfyouunderstandthatIactedformyownsake,youknowthatnogratitudeisrequired.’"
"Iwillrepeat,"saidGalt,"theansweryougaveme:‘ThatiswhyIthankyou.’"
Dagnynoticedthattheylookedateachotherasiftheirglancewerethehandshakeofabondtoofirmtorequireanystatement.Reardensawherwatchingthem—andthefaintestcontractionofhiseyeswaslikeasmileofsanction,asifhisglancewererepeatingtoherthemessagehehadsentherfromthevalley.
TheyheardthesuddensoundofDanneskjold’svoiceraisedcheerfullyinconversationwithemptyspace,andtheyrealizedthathewasspeakingovertheplane’sradio:"Yes,safeandsound,allofus...
Yes,he’sunhurt,justshakenalittle,andresting...No,nopermanentinjury...Yes,we’reallhere.
