Атлант расправил плечи
In the Name of the Best among us
"I’dliketoseehowyourstudentswillbeabletokeeptheirmindonthesubjectandhowyou’llanswerthesortofirrelevantquestionsIwon’tblamethemforwantingtoaskyou."
"Iwilltellthemthatthey’llfindtheanswersinthesubject."
Therewerenotmanylightsontheearthbelow.Thecountrysidewasanemptyblacksheet,withafewoccasionalflickersinthewindowsofsomegovernmentstructures,andthetremblingglowofcandlesinthewindowsofthriftlesshomes.Mostoftheruralpopulationhadlongsincebeenreducedtothelifeofthoseageswhenartificiallightwasanexorbitantluxury,andasunsetputanendtohumanactivity.Thetownswerelikescatteredpuddles,leftbehindbyarecedingtide,stillholdingsomepreciousdropsofelectricity,butdryingoutinadesertofrations,quotas,controlsandpower-conservationrules.
Butwhentheplacethathadoncebeenthesourceofthetide—NewYorkCity—roseinthedistancebeforethem,itwasstillextendingitslightstothesky,stilldefyingtheprimordialdarkness,almostasif,inanultimateeffort,inafinalappealforhelp,itwerenowstretchingitsarmstotheplanethatwascrossingitssky.Involuntarily,theysatup,asifatrespectfulattentionatthedeathbedofwhathadbeengreatness.
