Атлант расправил плечи
The Exploiters and the Exploited
Whattheymeanttoherwashouruponhourofspeakingquietly,evenly,patiently,tryingtohitthecenterlesstargetthatwasthepersonofMr.Mowen,presidentoftheAmalgamatedSwitchandSignalCompany,Inc.,ofConnecticut."But,MissTaggart,mydearMissTaggart!Mycompanyhasservedyourcompanyforgenerations,why,yourgrandfatherwasthefirstcustomerofmygrandfather,soyoucannotdoubtoureagernesstodoanythingyouask,but—didyousayswitchesmadeofReardenMetal?"
"Yes."
"But,MissTaggart!Considerwhatitwouldmean,havingtoworkwiththatmetal.Doyouknowthatthestuffwon’tmeltunderlessthanfourthousanddegrees?...Great?Well,maybethat’sgreatformotormanufacturers,butwhatI’mthinkingofisthatitmeansanewtypeoffurnace,anewprocessentirely,mentobetrained,schedulesupset,workrulesshot,everythingballedupandthenGodonlyknowswhetheritwillcomeoutrightornot!...Howdoyouknow,MissTaggart?Howcanyouknow,whenit’sneverbeendonebefore?...
Well,Ican’tsaythatthatmetalisgoodandIcan’tsaythatitisn’t.
...Well,no,Ican’ttellwhetherit’saproductofgenius,asyousay,orjustanotherfraudasagreatmanypeoplearesaying,MissTaggart,agreatmany...Well,no,Ican’tsaythatitdoesmatteronewayortheother,becausewhoamItotakeachanceonajobofthiskind?"
Shehaddoubledthepriceofherorder.
