Атлант расправил плечи
The Non-commercial
"Iwasnotawarethatmysisterwasfamous,"saidTaggart,afaintbiteinhisvoice.
"But,mygoodman,she’sanunusualphenomenoninthefieldofeconomics,soyoumustexpectpeopletotalkabouther.Yoursisterisasymptomoftheillnessofourcentury.Adecadentproductofthemachineage.Machineshavedestroyedman’shumanity,takenhimawayfromthesoil,robbedhimofhisnaturalarts,killedhissoulandturnedhimintoaninsensitiverobot.There’sanexampleofit—awomanwhorunsarailroad,insteadofpracticingthebeautifulcraftofthehand-loomandbearingchildren."
Reardenmovedamongtheguests,tryingnottobetrappedintoconversation.Helookedattheroom;hesawnoonehewishedtoapproach.
"Say,HankRearden,you’renotsuchabadfellowatallwhenseencloseupinthelion’sownden.Yououghttogiveusapressconferenceonceinawhile,you’dwinusover."
Reardenturnedandlookedatthespeakerincredulously.Itwasayoungnewspapermanoftheseediersort,whoworkedonaradicaltabloid.TheoffensivefamiliarityofhismannerseemedtoimplythathechosetoberudetoReardenbecauseheknewthatReardenshouldneverhavepermittedhimselftoassociatewithamanofhiskind.
Reardenwouldnothaveallowedhiminsidethemills;butthemanwasLillian’sguest;hecontrolledhimself;heaskeddryly,"Whatdoyouwant?"
"You’renotsobad.You’vegottalent.Technologicaltalent.But,ofcourse,Idon’tagreewithyouaboutReardenMetal."
"Ihaven’taskedyoutoagree."
