Атлант расправил плечи
In the Name of the Best among us
"
"Whatdoyoumean?"
"Youdon’tthinkyou’regoingtoNewYork,doyou?"
"WearegoingtoNewYork."
"Then...thenyouhaven’theard?"
"What?"
"Say,whenwasthelasttimeyouspoketoanyofyourstations?"
"Idon’tknow!...Heardwhat?"
"ThatyourTaggartBridgeisgone.Gone.Blastedtobits.Sound-rayexplosionorsomething.Nobodyknowsexactly.Onlythereain’tanybridgeanymoretocrosstheMississippi.Thereain’tanyNewYorkanymore—leastways,notforfolkslikeyouandmetoreach."
EddieWillersdidnotknowwhathappenednext;hehadfallenbackagainstthesideoftheengineer’schair,staringattheopendoorofthemotorunit;hedidnotknowhowlonghestayedthere,butwhen,atlast,heturnedhishead,hesawthathewasalone.Theengineerandthefiremanhadleftthecab.Therewasascrambleofvoicesoutside,screams,sobs,shoutedquestionsandthesoundoftheside-showbarker’slaughter.
Eddiepulledhimselftothewindowofthecab:theComet’spassengersandcrewwerecrowdingaroundtheleaderofthecaravanandhissemi-raggedcompanions;hewaswavinghisloosearmsingesturesofcommand.Someofthebetter-dressedladiesfromtheComet—whosehusbandshadapparentlybeenfirsttomakeadeal—wereclimbingaboardthecoveredwagons,sobbingandclutchingtheirdelicatemakeupcases.
