Атлант расправил плечи
The Exploiters and the Exploited
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"Why?"
Hesmiledmirthlessly,spreadinghishandsout,asiftoshowherthatthiswaswhathehadpredictedandhadwantedtoavoid.
Shesaidquietly,"Ihavetotry,Francisco.Ihavetomaketherequest.That’smypart.Whatyou’lldoaboutitisyours.ButI’llknowthatI’vetriedeverything."
Heremainedstanding,butheinclinedhisheadalittle,inassent,andsaid,"Iwilllisten,ifthatwillhelpyou."
"IneedfifteenmilliondollarstocompletetheRioNorteLine,IhaveobtainedsevenmillionagainsttheTaggartstockIownfreeandclear.Icanraisenothingelse.Iwillissuebondsinthenameofmynewcompany,intheamountofeightmilliondollars.Icalledyouheretoaskyoutobuythesebonds."
Hedidnotanswer.
"Iamsimplyabeggar,Francisco,andIambeggingyouformoney.Ihadalwaysthoughtthatonedidnotbeginbusiness.Ithoughtthatonestoodonthemeritofwhatonehadtooffer,andgavevalueforvalue.Thisisnotsoanymore,thoughIdon’tunderstandhowwecanactonanyotherruleandcontinuetoexist.Judgingbyeveryobjectivefact,theRioNorteLineistobethebestrailroadinthecountry.Judgingbyeveryknownstandard,itisthebestinvestmentpossible.Andthatiswhatdamnsme.Icannotraisemoneybyofferingpeopleagoodbusinessventure:thefactthatit’sgood,makespeoplerejectit.Thereisnobankthatwouldbuythebondsofmycompany.
