Атлант расправил плечи

           Theexpressionofhisfacehadnotchanged;itwasstillalookofgravelycourteousrespect."Ihavelearnedit,"heanswered.

           Reardenstoodwatchinghimashewalkedoffintothecrowd.Thefiguresofabutler,withacrystaldish,andofDr.Pritchett,stoopingtochooseanothercanape,hidFranciscofromsight.Reardenglancedoutatthedarkness;nothingcouldbeseentherebutthewind.

           Dagnysteppedforward,whenhecameoutoftherecess;shesmiled,openlyinvitingconversation.Hestopped.Itseemedtoherthathehadstoppedreluctantly.Shespokehastily,tobreakthesilence."Hank,whydoyouhavesomanyintellectualsofthelooterpersuasionhere?Iwouldn’thavetheminmyhouse."

           Thiswasnotwhatshehadwantedtosaytohim.Butshedidnotknowwhatshewantedtosay;neverbeforehadshefeltherselfleftwordlessinhispresence.

           Shesawhiseyesnarrowing,likeadoorbeingclosed."Iseenoreasonwhyoneshouldnotinvitethemtoaparty,"heansweredcoldly.

           "Oh,Ididn’tmeantocriticizeyourchoiceofguests.But...Well,I’vebeentryingnottolearnwhichoneofthemisBertramScudder.IfIdo,I’llslaphisface."Shetriedtosoundcasual."Idon’twanttocreateascene,butI’mnotsureI’llbeabletocontrolmyself.Icouldn’tbelieveitwhensomebodytoldmethatMrs.Reardenhadinvitedhim."

           "Iinvitedhim."

           "But..."Thenhervoicedropped."Why?"

           "Idon’tattachanyimportancetooccasionsofthiskind."

           "I’msorry,Hank.Ididn’tknowyouweresotolerant.I’mnot."