Атлант расправил плечи
The Exploiters and the Exploited
"Don’tyoueverthinkofpeopleandofyourmoralduties?"
"Idon’tknowwhatitisthatyouchoosetocallmorality.No,Idon’tthinkofpeople—exceptthatifIgaveajobtoPhilip,Iwouldn’tbeabletofaceanycompetentmanwhoneededworkanddeservedit."
Shegotup.Herheadwasdrawnintohershoulders,andtherighteousbitternessofhervoiceseemedtopushthewordsupwardathistall,straightfigure:"That’syourcruelty,that’swhat’smeanandselfishaboutyou.Ifyoulovedyourbrother,you’dgivehimajobhedidn’tdeserve,preciselybecausehedidn’tdeserveit—thatwouldbetrueloveandkindnessandbrotherhood.Elsewhat’slovefor?Ifamandeservesajob,there’snovirtueingivingittohim.Virtueisthegivingoftheundeserved."
Hewaslookingatherlikeachildatanunfamiliarnightmare,incredulitypreventingitfrombecominghorror."Mother,"hesaidslowly,"youdon’tknowwhatyou’resaying.I’mnotableevertodespiseyouenoughtobelievethatyoumeanit"
Thelookonherfaceastonishedhimmorethanalltherest:itwasalookofdefeatandyetofanodd,sly,cynicalcunning,asif,foramoment,sheheldsomeworldlywisdomthatmockedhisinnocence.
Thememoryofthatlookremainedinhismind,likeawarningsignaltellinghimthathehadglimpsedanissuewhichhehadtounderstand.
