Атлант расправил плечи
The Exploiters and the Exploited
Ihavehadmanybrightstudentsinthepast,butthesethreewerethekindofrewardateacherpraysfor.Ifeveryoucouldwishtoreceivethegiftofthehumanmindatitsbest,younganddeliveredintoyourhandsforguidance,theywerethisgift.Theirswasthekindofintelligenceoneexpectstosee,inthefuture,changingthecourseoftheworld.Theycamefromverydifferentbackgrounds,buttheywereinseparablefriends.Theymadeastrangechoiceofstudies.Theymajoredintwosubjects—mineandHughAkston’s.Physicsandphilosophy.Itisnotacombinationofinterestsoneencountersnowadays.HughAkstonwasadistinguishedman,agreatmind...unliketheincrediblecreaturewhomthatUniversityhasnowputinhisplace...AkstonandIwerealittlejealousofeachotheroverthesethreestudents.Itwasakindofcontestbetweenus,afriendlycontest,becauseweunderstoodeachother,IheardAkstonsayingonedaythatheregardedthemashissons.Iresenteditalittle...becauseIthoughtofthemasmine..."
Heturnedandlookedather.Thebitterlinesofagewerevisiblenow,cuttingacrosshischeeks.Hesaid,"WhenIendorsedtheestablishmentofthisInstitute,oneofthesethreedamnedme.Ihavenotseenhimsince.Itusedtodisturbme,inthefirstfewyears.Iwondered,onceinawhile,whetherhehadbeenright...Ithasceasedtodisturbme,longago."
Hesmiled.Therewasnothingbutbitternessnow,inhissmileandhisface.
