Атлант расправил плечи
The Non-commercial
"There—yousee?"LilliansmiledatPhilip."Toenjoylifeandpeopleisnotsosimpleaspouringatonofsteel.Intellectualpursuitsarenotlearnedinthemarketplace."
Philipchuckled."It’snotintellectualpursuitsI’mworriedabout.HowsureareyouaboutthatPuritanstuff,Lillian?IfIwereyou,Iwouldn’tleavehimfreetolookaround.Therearetoomanybeautifulwomenheretonight."
"Henryentertainingthoughtsofinfidelity?Youflatterhim,Philip.Youoverestimatehiscourage."ShesmiledatRearden,coldly,forabrief,stressedmoment,thenmovedaway.
Reardenlookedathisbrother."Whatinhelldoyouthinkyou’redoing?"
"Oh,stopplayingthePuritan!Can’tyoutakeajoke?"
Movingaimlesslythroughthecrowd,Dagnywonderedwhyshehadacceptedtheinvitationtothisparty.Theanswerastonishedher:itwasbecauseshehadwantedtoseeHankRearden.Watchinghiminthecrowd,sherealizedthecontrastforthefirsttime.Thefacesoftheotherslookedlikeaggregatesofinterchangeablefeatures,everyfaceoozingtoblendintotheanonymityofresemblingall,andalllookingasiftheyweremelting.Rearden’sface,withthesharpplanes,thepaleblueeyes,theash-blondhair,hadthefirmnessofice;theuncompromisingclarityofitslinesmadeitlook,amongtheothers,asifheweremovingthroughafog,hitbyarayoflight.
Hereyeskeptreturningtohiminvoluntarily.Shenevercaughthimglancinginherdirection.
