Атлант расправил плечи

           "Theconsensusofthebestmetallurgicalauthorities,"hesaid,"seemstobehighlyskepticalaboutReardenMetal,contending—" 

           "Dropit,Jim." 

           "Well,whoseopiniondidyoutake?" 

           "Idon’taskforopinions." 

           "Whatdoyougoby?" 

           "Judgment." 

           "Well,whosejudgmentdidyoutake?" 

           "Mine." 

           "Butwhomdidyouconsultaboutit?" 

           "Nobody." 

           "ThenwhatonearthdoyouknowaboutReardenMetal?" 

           "Thatit’sthegreatestthingeverputonthemarket." 

           "Why?" 

           "Becauseit’stougherthansteel,cheaperthansteelandwilloutlastanyhunkofmetalinexistence." 

           "Butwhosaysso?" 

           "Jim,Istudiedengineeringincollege.WhenIseethings,Iseethem." 

           "Whatdidyousee?" 

           "Rearden’sformulaandthetestsheshowedme." 

           "Well,ifitwereanygood,somebodywouldhaveusedit,andnobodyhas."Hesawtheflashofanger,andwentonnervously: "Howcanyouknowit’sgood?Howcanyoubesure?Howcanyoudecide?" 

           "Somebodydecidessuchthings,Jim.Who?" 

           "Well,Idon’tseewhywehavetobethefirstones.Idon’tseeitatall." 

           "DoyouwanttosavetheRioNorteLineornot?"Hedidnotanswer. "Iftheroadcouldaffordit,IwouldscrapeverypieceofrailoverthewholesystemandreplaceitwithReardenMetal. Allofitneedsreplacing.Noneofitwilllastmuchlonger. Butwecan’taffordit.Wehavetogetoutofabadhole,first.Doyouwantustopullthroughornot?" 

           "We’restillthebestrailroadinthecountry.Theothersaredoingmuchworse."