Атлант расправил плечи

           "Idonotseewhyindustrialistsshouldbeconsideredatall,"saidScudder."Whenthemassesaredestituteandyettherearegoodsavailable,it’sidiotictoexpectpeopletobestoppedbysomescrapofpapercalledapropertydeed.Propertyrightsareasuperstition.Oneholdspropertyonlybythecourtesyofthosewhodonotseizeit.Thepeoplecanseizeitatanymoment.Iftheycan,whyshouldn’tthey?"

           "Theyshould,"saidClaudeSlagenhop."Theyneedit.Needistheonlyconsideration.Ifpeopleareinneed,we’vegottoseizethingsfirstandtalkaboutitafterwards."

           ClaudeSlagenhophadapproachedandmanagedtosqueezehimselfbetweenPhilipandScudder,shovingScudderasideimperceptibly.Slagenhopwasnottallorheavy,buthehadasquare,compactbulk,andabrokennose.HewasthepresidentofFriendsofGlobalProgress.

           "Hungerwon’twait,"saidClaudeSlagenhop."Ideasarejusthotair.Anemptybellyisasolidfact.I’vesaidinallmyspeechesthatit’snotnecessarytotalktoomuch.Societyissufferingforlackofbusinessopportunitiesatthemoment,sowe’vegottherighttoseizesuchopportunitiesasexist.Rightiswhatever’sgoodforsociety."

           "Hedidn’tdigthatoresingle-handed,didhe?"criedPhilipsuddenly,hisvoiceshrill."Hehadtoemployhundredsofworkers.Theydidit.Whydoeshethinkhe’ssogood?"

           Thetwomenlookedathim,Scudderliftinganeyebrow,Slagenhopwithoutexpression.

           "Oh,dearme!"saidBettyPope,remembering.