Атлант расправил плечи
The Exploiters and the Exploited
Shedidnotnoticethattheyhadsatdown,thattheyweresittingonapileoffrozenlumber,thatherlegswerepressedtotheroughplanksandshecouldfeelthecoldthroughherthinstockings.Theywerebenttogetheroverafewscrapsofpaperwhichcouldmakeitpossibleforthousandsoftonsoffreighttocrossacutofemptyspace.Hisvoicesoundedsharpandclear,whileheexplainedthrusts,pulls,loads,windpressures.Thebridgewastobeasingletwelve-hundred-foottrussspan.Hehaddevisedanewtypeoftruss.IthadneverbeenmadebeforeendcouldnotbemadeexceptwithmembersthathadthestrengthandthelightnessofReardenMetal.
"Hank,"sheasked,"didyouinventthisintwodays?"
"Hell,no.I‘invented’itlongbeforeIhadReardenMetal.Ifigureditoutwhilemakingsteelforbridges.Iwantedametalwithwhichonewouldbeabletodothis,amongotherthings.Icameherejusttoseeyourparticularproblemformyself."
Hechuckled,whenhesawtheslowmovementofherhandacrosshereyesandthelineofbitternessinthesetofhermouth,asifsheweretryingtowipeoutthethingsagainstwhichshehadfoughtsuchanexhausting,cheerlessbattle.
"Thisisonlyaroughscheme,"hesaid,"butIbelieveyouseewhatcanbedone?"
"Ican’ttellyouallthatIsee,Hank."
"Don’tbother.Iknowit."
"You’resavingTaggartTranscontinentalforthesecondtime.
