Атлант расправил плечи

           Franciscoanswered,"Hetaughtthateverythingissomething."

           "Yourloyaltytoyourteacherislaudable,Señord‘Anconia,"saidDr.Pritchettdryly."Maywetakeitthatyouareanexampleofthepracticalresultsofhisteaching?"

           "Iam."

           JamesTaggarthadapproachedthegroupandwaswaitingtobenoticed.

           "Hello,Francisco."

           "Goodevening,James."

           "Whatawonderfulcoincidence,seeingyouhere!I’vebeenveryanxioustospeaktoyou."

           "That’snew.Youhaven’talwaysbeen."

           "Nowyou’rejoking,justlikeintheolddays."Taggartwasmovingslowly,asifcasually,awayfromthegroup,hopingtodrawFranciscoafterhim."Youknowthatthere’snotapersoninthisroomwhowouldn’tlovetotalktoyou."

           "Really?I’dbeinclinedtosuspecttheopposite."Franciscohadfollowedobediently,butstoppedwithinhearingdistanceoftheothers.

           "Ihavetriedineverypossiblewaytogetintouchwithyou,"saidTaggart,"but...butcircumstancesdidn’tpermitmetosucceed."

           "AreyoutryingtohidefrommethefactthatIrefusedtoseeyou?"

           "Well...thatis...Imean,whydidyourefuse?"

           "Icouldn’timaginewhatyouwantedtospeaktomeabout."

           "TheSanSebastiánMines,ofcourse!"Taggart’svoicerosealittle.

           "Why,whataboutthem?"

           "But...Now,look,Francisco,thisisserious.It’sadisaster,anunprecedenteddisaster—andnobodycanmakeanysenseoutofit.Idon’tknowwhattothink.Idon’tunderstanditatall.Ihavearighttoknow."