Атлант расправил плечи

           "Hesaiditunhappily,asifhewerebegginghertomakehimdoubtthesemenandtheirverdict.

           Shewatchedhim,puzzled;thiswasnotlikehim.

           Thecarjerkedforward.Itmovedslowlythroughagapinaplankbarrier,pasttheholeofabrokenwatermain.Shesawthenewpipestackedbytheexcavation;thepipeboreatrademark:StocktonFoundry,Colorado.Shelookedaway;shewishedshewerenotremindedofColorado.

           "Ican’tunderstandit..."saidTaggartmiserably."ThetopexpertsoftheNationalCouncilofMetalIndustries..."

           "Who’sthepresidentoftheNationalCouncilofMetalIndustries,Jim?OrrenBoyle,isn’tit?"

           Taggartdidnotturntoher,buthisjawsnappedopen."Ifthatfatslobthinkshecan—"hestarted,butstoppedanddidnotfinish.

           Shelookedupatastreetlamponthecorner.Itwasaglobeofglassfilledwithlight.Ithung,securefromstorm,lightingboardedwindowsandcrackedsidewalks,astheironlyguardian.Attheendofthestreet,acrosstheriver,againsttheglowofafactory,shesawthethintracingofapowerstation.Atruckwentby,hidingherview.Itwasthekindoftruckthatfedthepowerstation—atanktruck,itsbrightnewpaintimpervioustosleet,greenwithwhiteletters:WyattOil,Colorado.

           "Dagny,haveyouheardaboutthatdiscussionatthestructuralsteelworkers’unionmeetinginDetroit?"

           "No.