Атлант расправил плечи
The Exploiters and the Exploited
SoIcan’tpleadmerit.Icanonlyplead."
Hervoicewaspronouncingthewordswithimpersonalprecision.Shestopped,waitingforhisanswer.Heremainedsilent.
"IknowthatIhavenothingtoofferyou,"shesaid."Ican’tspeaktoyouintermsofinvestment.Youdon’tcaretomakemoney.Industrialprojectshaveceasedtoconcernyoulongago.SoIwon’tpretendthatit’safairexchange.It’sjustbegging."Shedrewherbreathandsaid,"Givemethatmoneyasalms,becauseitmeansnothingtoyou."
"Don’t,"hesaid,hisvoicelow.Shecouldnottellwhetherthestrangesoundofitwaspainoranger;hiseyeswerelowered.
"Willyoudoit,Francisco?"
"No."
Afteramoment,shesaid,"Icalledyou,notbecauseIthoughtyouwouldagree,butbecauseyouweretheonlyonewhocouldunderstandwhatIamsaying.SoIhadtotryit."Hervoicewasdroppinglower,asifshehopeditwouldmakeemotionhardertodetect."Yousee,Ican’tbelievethatyou’rereallygone...becauseIknowthatyou’restillabletohearme.Thewayyouliveisdepraved.Butthewayyouactisnot.Eventhewayyouspeakofit,isnot...Ihadtotry...
ButIcan’tstruggletounderstandyouanylonger."
"I’llgiveyouahint.Contradictionsdonotexist.Wheneveryouthinkthatyouarefacingacontradiction,checkyourpremises.Youwillfindthatoneofthemiswrong.
