Атлант расправил плечи
In the Name of the Best among us
Hewentcrawlingoverandunderthemachinery,unscrewingitspartsandscrewingthembackagain,takingoutpiecesandreplacingthem,dismemberingthemotorsatrandom,likeachildtakingaclockapart,butwithoutthechild’sconvictionthatknowledgeispossible.
Thefiremankeptleaningoutofthecab’swindow,glancingattheblackstillnessandshivering,asiffromthenightairthatwasgrowingcolder.
"Don’tworry,"saidEddieWillers,assumingatoneofconfidence.
"We’vegottodoourbest,butifwefail,they’llsendushelpsoonerorlater.Theydon’tabandontrainsinthemiddleofnowhere."
"Theydidn’tusedto,"saidthefireman.
Onceinawhile,theengineerraisedhisgrease-smearedfacetolookatthegrease-smearedfaceandshirtofEddieWillers."What’stheuse,Mr.Willers?"heasked.
"Wecan’tletitgo!"Eddieansweredfiercely;heknewdimlythatwhathemeantwasmorethantheComet...andmorethantherailroad.
Movingfromthecabthroughthethreemotorunitsandbacktothecabagain,hishandsbleeding,hisshirtstickingtohisback,EddieWillerswasstrugglingtoremembereverythinghehadeverknownaboutengines,anythinghehadlearnedincollege,andearlier:anythinghehadpickedupinthosedayswhenthestationagentsatRockdaleStationusedtochasehimofftherungsoftheirlumberingswitchengines.
