Атлант расправил плечи

           Shewasoffguard;shedidnotusuallyadmitthingsofthiskind."Look,"hesaidwearily,"Idon’twanttospoilyourparty.Butkeepthatmanawayfromme.Don’tcomearoundwithintroductions.Idon’twanttomeethim.Idon’tknowhowyou’llworkthat,butyou’reanexperthostess,soworkit."

           DagnystoodstillwhenshesawFranciscoapproaching.Hebowedtoherashepassedby.Hedidnotstop,butsheknewthathehadstoppedthemomentinhismind.Shesawhimsmilefaintlyindeliberateemphasisofwhatheunderstoodanddidnotchoosetoacknowledge.Sheturnedaway.Shehopedtoavoidhimfortherestoftheevening.

           BalphEubankhadjoinedthegrouparoundDr.Pritchett,andwassayingsullenly,"...no,youcannotexpectpeopletounderstandthehigherreachesofphilosophy.Cultureshouldbetakenoutofthehandsofthedollar-chasers.Weneedanationalsubsidyforliterature.Itisdisgracefulthatartistsaretreatedlikepeddlersandthatartworkshavetobesoldlikesoap."

           "Youmean,yourcomplaintisthattheydon’tselllikesoap?"askedFranciscod‘Anconia.

           Theyhadnotnoticedhimapproach;theconversationstopped,asifslashedoff;mostofthemhadnevermethim,buttheyallrecognizedhimatonce.

           "Imeant—"BalphEubankstartedangrilyandclosedhismouth;hesawtheeagerinterestonthefacesofhisaudience,butitwasnotinterestinphilosophyanylonger.

           "Why,hello,Professor!"saidFrancisco,bowingtoDr.Pritchett.

           TherewasnopleasureinDr.