Атлант расправил плечи

           Noonewroteabouttheseshippers,becausetheyweremenwhowerenotdisinterested.

           ThePhoenix-DurangoRailroadwastocloseonJuly25.ThefirsttrainoftheJohnGaltLinewastorunonJuly22.

           "Well,it’slikethis,MissTaggart,"saidthedelegateoftheUnionofLocomotiveEngineers."Idon’tthinkwe’regoingtoallowyoutorunthattrain."

           Dagnysatatherbattereddesk,againsttheblotchedwallofheroffice.

           Shesaid,withoutmoving,"Getoutofhere."

           Itwasasentencethemanhadneverheardinthepolishedofficesofrailroadexecutives.Helookedbewildered."Icametotellyou—"

           "Ifyouhaveanythingtosaytome,startoveragain."

           "What?"

           "Don’ttellmewhatyou’regoingtoallowmetodo."

           "Well,Imeantwe’renotgoingtoallowourmentorunyourtrain."

           "That’sdifferent."

           "Well,that’swhatwe’vedecided."

           "Who’sdecidedit?"

           "Thecommittee.Whatyou’redoingisaviolationofhumanrights.

           Youcan’tforcementogoouttogetkilled—whenthatbridgecollapses—justtomakemoneyforyou."

           Shereachedforasheetofblankpaperandhandedittohim."Putitdowninwriting,"shesaid,"andwe’llsignacontracttothateffect.