Атлант расправил плечи

           Iamnotgoingtoarguewithyou,withyourBoardorwithyourprofessors. Youhaveachoicetomakeandyou’regoingtomakeitnow. Justsayyesorno." 

           "That’sapreposterous,high-handed,arbitrarywayof—" 

           "Yesorno?" 

           "That’sthetroublewithyou.Youalwaysmakeit‘Yes’or’No.‘Thingsareneverabsolutelikethat.Nothingisabsolute." 

           "Metalrailsare.Whetherwegetthemornot,is." 

           Shewaited.Hedidnotanswer. 

           "Well?"sheasked. 

           "Areyoutakingtheresponsibilityforit?" 

           "Iam." 

           "Goahead,"hesaid,andadded,"butatyourownrisk. Iwon’tcancelit,butIwon’tcommitmyselfastowhatI’llsaytotheBoard." 

           "Sayanythingyouwish." 

           Sherosetogo.Heleanedforwardacrossthedesk,reluctanttoendtheinterviewandtoenditsodecisively. 

           "Yourealize,ofcourse,thatalengthyprocedurewillbenecessarytoputthisthrough,"hesaid;thewordssoundedalmosthopeful."Itisn’tassimpleasthat." 

           "Ohsure,"shesaid."I’llsendyouadetailedreport,whichEddiewillprepareandwhichyouwon’tread. Eddiewillhelpyouputitthroughtheworks.I’mgoingtoPhiladelphiatonighttoseeRearden. HeandIhavealotofworktodo."Sheadded,"It’sassimpleasthat,Jim." 

           Shehadturnedtogo,whenhespokeagain—andwhathesaidseemedbewilderinglyirrelevant. "That’sallrightforyou,becauseyou’relucky.Otherscan’tdoit." 

           "Dowhat?" 

           "Otherpeoplearehuman.They’resensitive.