Атлант расправил плечи
The Exploiters and the Exploited
ReardenhadsenttwometallurgiststotrainMowen’smen,toteach,toshow,toexplaineverystepoftheprocess,andhadpaidthesalariesofMowen’smenwhiletheywerebeingtrained.
Shelookedatthespikesintherailatherfeet.TheymeantthenightwhenshehadheardthatSummitCastingofIllinois,theonlycompanywillingtomakespikesofReardenMetal,hadgonebankrupt,withhalfofherorderundelivered.ShehadflowntoChicago,thatnight,shehadgotthreelawyers,ajudgeandastatelegislatoroutofbed,shehadbribedtwoofthemandthreatenedtheothers,shehadobtainedapaperthatwasanemergencypermitofalegalitynoonewouldeverbeabletountangle,shehadhadthepadlockeddoorsoftheSummitCastingplantunlockedandarandom,half-dressedcrewworkingatthesmeltersbeforethewindowshadturnedgraywithdaylight.Thecrewshadremainedatwork,underaTaggartengineerandaReardenmetallurgist.TherebuildingoftheRioNorteLinewasnotheldup.
Shelistenedtothesoundofthedrills.Theworkhadbeenhelduponce,whenthedrillingforthebridgeabutmentswasstepped."Icouldn’thelpit,MissTaggart,"BenNealyhadsaid,offended."Youknowhowfastdrillheadswearout.Ihadthemonorder,butIncorporatedToolranintoalittletrouble,theycouldn’thelpiteither,AssociatedSteelwasdelayedindeliveringthesteeltothem,sothere’snothingwecandobutwait.It’snousegettingupset,MissTaggart,I’mdoingmybest.
