Атлант расправил плечи

           Itwasthelookonesawingroupsofrespectablepeopleeverywhere.Dagnystoppedandlistened.

           "But,mydear,"oneofthemasked,"whyshoulditfrightenyou?"

           "Idon’tknow,"saidthespinster."Iamnotafraidofprowlersorrobberiesoranythingofthesort.ButIstayawakeallnight.IfallasleeponlywhenIseetheskyturningpale.Itisveryodd.Everyevening,whenitgrowsdark,Igetthefeelingthatthistimeitisfinal,thatdaylightwillnotreturn."

           "MycousinwholivesonthecoastofMainewrotemethesamething,"saidoneofthewomen.

           "Lastnight,"saidthespinster,"Istayedawakebecauseoftheshooting.Thereweregunsgoingoffallnight,wayoutatsea.Therewerenoflashes.Therewasnothing.Justthosedetonations,atlongintervals,somewhereinthefogovertheAtlantic."

           "Ireadsomethingaboutitinthepaperthismorning.CoastGuardtargetpractice."

           "Why,no,"thespinstersaidindifferently."Everybodydownontheshoreknowswhatitwas.ItwasRagnarDanneskjöld.ItwastheCoastGuardtryingtocatchhim."

           "RagnarDanneskjöldinDelawareBay?"awomangasped.

           "Oh,yes.Theysayitisnotthefirsttime."

           "Didtheycatchhim?"

           "No."

           "Nobodycancatchhim,"saidoneofthemen.

           "ThePeople’sStateofNorwayhasofferedamillion-dollarrewardforhishead."

           "That’sanawfullotofmoneytopayforapirate’shead."