Атлант расправил плечи
The Exploiters and the Exploited
Helookeddownattherail,thenlethiseyesmovealongthetrack,upthesidesofthemountains,tothedistantcrane.Shesawtwothings,asif,foramoment,thetwostoodaloneinherfieldofvision:thelinesofhisprofileandthegreen-bluecordcoilingthroughspace.
"We’vedoneit,haven’twe?"hesaid.
Inpaymentforeveryeffort,foreverysleeplessnight,foreverysilentthrustagainstdespair,thismomentwasallshewanted."Yes.Wehave."
Shelookedaway,noticedanoldcraneonasiding,andthoughtthatitscableswerewornandwouldneedreplacing:Thiswasthegreatclarityofbeingbeyondemotion,aftertherewardofhavingfelteverythingonecouldfeel.Theirachievement,shethought,andonemomentofacknowledgingit,ofpossessingittogether—whatgreaterintimacycouldoneshare?Nowshewasfreeforthesimplest,mostcommonplaceconcernsofthemoment,becausenothingcouldbemeaninglesswithinhersight.
Shewonderedwhatmadehercertainthathefeltasshedid.Heturnedabruptlyandstartedtowardhiscar.Shefollowed.Theydidnotlookateachother.
"I’mduetoleavefortheEastinanhour,"hesaid.
Shepointedatthecar."Wheredidyougetthat?"
"Here.It’saHammond.HammondofColorado—they’retheonlypeoplewho’restillmakingagoodcar.Ijustboughtit,onthistrip."
"Wonderfuljob.
