Атлант расправил плечи

           Kelloggwasstilltooyoungtobemadesuperintendentofadivision;shehadwantedtogivehimanotheryear,buttherewasnotimetowait. Shewouldhavetospeaktohimassoonasshereturned. 

           Thestripofearth,faintlyvisibleoutsidethewindow,wasrunningfasternow,blendingintoagraystream. Throughthedryphrasesofcalculationsinhermind,shenoticedthatshedidhavetimetofeelsomething:itwasthehard,exhilaratingpleasureofaction. 

           *** 

           Withthefirstwhistlingrushofair,astheCometplungedintothetunnelsoftheTaggartTerminalunderthecityofNewYork,DagnyTaggartsatupstraight. Shealwaysfeltitwhenthetrainwentunderground—thissenseofeagerness,ofhopeandofsecretexcitement. Itwasasifnormalexistencewereaphotographofshapelessthingsinbadlyprintedcolors,butthiswasasketchdoneinafewsharpstrokesthatmadethingsseemclean,important—andworthdoing. 

           Shewatchedthetunnelsastheyflowedpast:barewallsofconcrete,anetofpipesandwires,awebofrailsthatwentoffintoblackholeswheregreenandredlightshungasdistantdropsofcolor. Therewasnothingelse,nothingtodiluteit,sothatonecouldadmirenakedpurposeandtheingenuitythathadachievedit. ShethoughtoftheTaggartBuildingstandingaboveherheadatthismoment,growingstraighttothesky,andshethought: Thesearetherootsofthebuilding,hollowrootstwistingundertheground,feedingthecity.