Атлант расправил плечи

           "Whowashe?"

           "JohnGaltwasamillionaire,amanofinestimablewealth.Hewassailinghisyachtonenight,inmid-Atlantic,fightingtheworststormeverwreakedupontheworld,whenhefoundit.Hesawitinthedepth,whereithadsunktoescapethereachofmen.HesawthetowersofAtlantisshiningonthebottomoftheocean.Itwasasightofsuchkindthatwhenonehadseenit,onecouldnolongerwishtolookattherestoftheearth.JohnGaltsankhisshipandwentdownwithhisentirecrew.Theyallchosetodoit.Myfriendwastheonlyonewhosurvived."

           "Howinteresting."

           "Myfriendsawitwithhisowneyes,"saidthewoman,offended."Ithappenedmanyyearsago.ButJohnGalt’sfamilyhushedupthestory."

           "Andwhathappenedtohisfortune?Idon’trecalleverhearingofaGaltfortune."

           "Itwentdownwithhim."Sheaddedbelligerently,"Youdon’thavetobelieveit."

           "MissTaggartdoesn‘t,"saidFranciscod’Anconia."Ido."

           Theyturned.Hehadfollowedthemandhestoodlookingatthemwiththeinsolenceofexaggeratedearnestness.

           "Haveyoueverhadfaithinanything,Senord‘Anconia?"thewomanaskedangrily.

           "No,madame."

           Hechuckledatherbrusquedeparture.Dagnyaskedcoldly,"What’sthejoke?"

           "Thejoke’sonthatfoolwoman.Shedoesn’tknowthatshewastellingyouthetruth."

           "Doyouexpectmetobelievethat?"

           "No."

           "Thenwhatdoyoufindsoamusing?"

           "Oh,agreatmanythingshere.Don’tyou?"

           "No."

           "Well,

           that’s

           oneofthethingsIfindamusing."