Атлант расправил плечи

           Eddie,"sheaddedsuddenly,"beforeIstart,tellthemtogetmeAyersoftheAyersMusicPublishingCompanyonthephone." 

           "TheMusicPublishingCompany?"herepeatedincredulously. 

           "Yes.There’ssomethingIwanttoaskhim." 

           WhenthevoiceofMr,Ayers,courteouslyeager,inquiredofwhatservicehecouldbetoher,sheasked, "CanyoutellmewhetherRichardHalleyhaswrittenanewpianoconcerto,theFifth?" 

           "Afifthconcerto,MissTaggart?Why,no,ofcoursehehasn’t." 

           "Areyousure?" 

           "Quitesure,MissTaggart.Hehasnotwrittenanythingforeightyears." 

           "Ishestillalive?" 

           "Why,yes—thatis,Ican’tsayforcertain,hehasdroppedoutofpubliclifeentirely—butI’msurewewouldhaveheardofitifhehaddied." 

           "Ifhewroteanything,wouldyouknowaboutit?" 

           "Ofcourse.Wewouldbethefirsttoknow.Wepublishallofhiswork.Buthehasstoppedwriting." 

           "Isee.Thankyou." 

           WhenOwenKelloggenteredheroffice,shelookedathimwithsatisfaction. Shewasgladtoseethatshehadbeenrightinhervaguerecollectionofhisappearance—hisfacehadthesamequalityasthatoftheyoungbrakemanonthetrain,thefaceofthekindofmanwithwhomshecoulddeal. 

           "Sitdown,Mr.Kellogg,"shesaid,butheremainedstandinginfrontofherdesk. 

           "YouhadaskedmeoncetoletyouknowifIeverdecidedtochangemyemployment,MissTaggart,"hesaid."SoIcametotellyouthatIamquitting."