Атлант расправил плечи
In the Name of the Best among us
Thepiecesconnectedtonothing;hisbrainseemedjammedandtight;heknewthatmotorswerenothisprofession,heknewthathedidnotknowandthatitwasnowamatteroflifeordeathforhimtodiscovertheknowledge.Hewaslookingatthecylinders,theblades,thewires,thecontrolpanelsstillwinkingwithlights.Hewasstrugglingnottoallowintohismindthethoughtthatwaspressingagainstitsperiphery:Whatwerethechancesandhowlongwouldittake—accordingtothemathematicaltheoryofprobability—forprimitivemen,workingbyrule-of-thumb,tohittherightcombinationofpartsandre-createthemotorofthisengine?
"What’stheuse,Mr.Willers?"moanedtheengineer.
"Wecan’tletitgo!"hecried.
Hedidnotknowhowmanyhourshadpassedwhenheheardthefiremanshoutsuddenly,"Mr.Willers!Look!"
Thefiremanwasleaningoutthewindow,pointingintothedarknessbehindthem.
EddieWillerslooked.Anoddlittlelightwasswingingjerkilyfarinthedistance;itseemedtobeadvancingatanimperceptiblerate;itdidnotlooklikeanysortoflighthecouldidentify.
Afterawhile,itseemedtohimthathedistinguishedsomelargeblackshapesadvancingslowly;theyweremovinginalineparallelwiththetrack;thespotoflighthunglowovertheground,swinging;hestrainedhisears,butheardnothing.
