Атлант расправил плечи
In the Name of the Best among us
Theside-showbarkerwavedhisarminanupwardsweepatEddie’sfigureonthesideoftheengineabovetheirheads."Ihopeyouknowwhatyou’redoing!"hecried,hisvoicehalf-threat,half-plea."Maybesomebodywillcomethiswaytopickyouup—nextweekornextmonth!Maybe!Who’sgoingto,thesedays?"
"Getawayfromhere,"saidEddieWillers.
Heclimbedbackintothecab—whenthewagonsjerkedforwardandwentswayingandcreakingoffintothenight.Hesatintheengineer’schairofamotionlessengine,hisforeheadpressedtotheuselessthrottle.
Hefeltlikethecaptainofanoceanlinerindistress,whopreferredtogodownwithhisshipratherthanbesavedbythecanoeofsavagestauntinghimwiththesuperiorityoftheircraft.
Then,suddenly,hefelttheblindingsurgeofadesperate,righteousanger.Heleapedtohisfeet,seizingthethrottle.Hehadtostartthistrain;inthenameofsomevictorythathecouldnotname,hehadtostarttheengine.Movingpastthestageofthinking,calculationorfear,movedbysomerighteousdefiance,hewaspullingleversatrandom,hewasjerkingthethrottlebackandforth,hewassteppingonthedeadman’spedal,whichwasdead,hewasgropingtodistinguishtheformofsomevisionthatseemedbothdistantandclose,knowingonlythathisdesperatebattlewasfedbythatvisionandwasfoughtforitssake.
