Атлант расправил плечи
The Theme
"Whendidyoudothat?"
"Yesterday."
"Buthehasn’tcalledtohavemeconfirmit."
"Hewon’t."
Taggartsatlookingdownathisdesk. ShewonderedwhyheresentedthenecessityofdealingwithRearden,andwhyhisresentmenthadsuchanodd,evasivequality. ReardenSteelhadbeenthechiefsupplierofTaggartTranscontinentalfortenyears,eversincethefirstReardenfurnacewasfired,inthedayswhentheirfatherwaspresidentoftherailroad. Fortenyears,mostoftheirrailhadcomefromReardenSteel. Therewerenotmanyfirmsinthecountrywhodeliveredwhatwasordered,whenandasordered.ReardenSteelwasoneofthem. Ifshewereinsane,thoughtDagny,shewouldconcludethatherbrotherhatedtodealwithReardenbecauseReardendidhisjobwithsuperlativeefficiency; butshewouldnotconcludeit,becauseshethoughtthatsuchafeelingwasnotwithinthehumanlypossible.
"Itisn’tfair,"saidJamesTaggart.
"Whatisn’t?"
"ThatwealwaysgiveallourbusinesstoRearden. Itseemstomeweshouldgivesomebodyelseachance,too. Reardendoesn’tneedus;he’splentybigenough. Weoughttohelpthesmallerfellowstodevelop. Otherwise,we’rejustencouragingamonopoly."
"Don’ttalktripe,Jim."
"WhydowealwayshavetogetthingsfromRearden?"
"Becausewealwaysgetthem."
"Idon’tlikeHenryRearden."
"Ido.Butwhatdoesthatmatter,onewayortheother?Weneedrailsandhe’stheonlyonewhocangivethemtous."
"Thehumanelementisveryimportant.
