Атлант расправил плечи

           Hismenusedtospendhalftheirtimehuntingforthings.

           Tellhimtowatchhiswatertanks.They’llfreezeonhimoneofthesenights.Seeifyoucangethimanewditcher.Idon’tlikethelooksoftheonehe’sgot.Checkonhiswiringsystem."

           Shelookedathimforamoment."Thanks,Ellis,"shesaid.

           Hesmiledandwalkedon.Shewatchedhimashewalkedacrossthebridge,ashestartedupthelongrisetowardhisderricks.

           "Hethinksheownstheplace,doesn’the?"

           Sheturned,startled.BenNealyhadapproachedher;histhumbwaspointingatEllisWyatt.

           "Whatplace?"

           "Therailroad,MissTaggart.Yourrailroad.Orthewholeworldmaybe.That’swhathethinks."

           BenNealywasabulkymanwithasoft,sullenface.Hiseyeswerestubbornandblank.Indiebluishlightofthesnow,hisskinhadthetingeofbutter.

           "Whatdoeshekeephangingaroundherefor?"hesaid."Asifnobodyknewtheirbusinessbuthim.Thesnootyshow-off.Whodoeshethinkheis?"

           "Goddamnyou,"saidDagnyevenly,notraisinghervoice.

           Nealycouldneverknowwhathadmadehersayit.Butsomepartofhim,insomewayofhisown,knewit:theshockingthingtoherwasthathewasnotshocked.Hesaidnothing.

           "Let’sgotoyourquarters,"shesaidwearily,pointingtoanoldrailwaycoachonaspurinthedistance.