Атлант расправил плечи
In the Name of the Best among us
Heshuddered:hefeltamoment’skinshipwiththestalledengineofthetrain.
Afterawhile,hesummonedtheconductoroncemore."Howisitgoing?"heasked.
Theconductorshruggedandshookhishead.
"Sendthefiremantoatrackphone.HavehimtelltheDivisionHeadquarterstosendusthebestmechanicavailable."
"Yes,sir."
Therewasnothingtoseebeyondthewindow;turningoffthelight,EddieWillerscoulddistinguishagrayspreaddottedbytheblackspotsofcacti,withnostarttoitandnoend.Hewonderedhowmenhadeverventuredtocrossit,andatwhatprice,inthedayswhentherewerenotrains.Hejerkedhisheadawayandsnappedonthelight.
ItwasonlythefactthattheCometwasinexile,hethought,matgavehimthissenseofpressinganxiety.Shewasstalledonanalienrail—ontheborrowedtrackoftheAtlanticSouthernthatranthroughArizona,thetracktheywereusingwithoutpayment.Hehadtogetheroutofhere,hethought;hewouldnotfeellikethisoncetheyreturnedtotheirownrail.Butthejunctionsuddenlyseemedaninsurmountabledistanceaway:ontheshoreoftheMississippi,attheTaggartBridge.
No,hethought,thatwasnotall.Hehadtoadmittohimselfwhatimageswerenagginghimwithasenseofuneasinesshecouldneithergraspnordispel;theyweretoomeaninglesstodefineandtooinexplicabletodismiss.
