Атлант расправил плечи

           Therewasdistanceandacrowdbetweenthem,buthiseyesmovedtoherthemomentshecameout.Theylookedateachotherandsheknewthathefeltasshedid.Thiswasnottobeasolemnventureuponwhichtheirfuturedepended,butsimplytheirdayofenjoyment.Theirworkwasdone.Forthemoment,therewasnofuture.Theyhadearnedthepresent.

           Onlyifonefeelsimmenselyimportant,shehadtoldhim,canonefeeltrulylight.Whateverthetrain’srunwouldmeantoothers,forthetwoofthemtheirownpersonswerethisday’ssolemeaning.Whateveritwasthatotherssoughtinlife,theirrighttowhattheynowfeltwasallthetwoofthemwishedtofind.Itwasasif,acrosstheplatform,theysaidittoeachother.

           Thensheturnedawayfromhim.

           Shenoticedthatshe,too,wasbeingstaredat,thattherewerepeoplearoundher,thatshewaslaughingandansweringquestions.

           Shehadnotexpectedsuchalargecrowd.Theyfilledtheplatform,thetracks,thesquarebeyondthestation;theywereontheroofsoftheboxcarsonthesidings,atthewindowsofeveryhouseinsight.Somethinghaddrawnthemhere,somethingintheairwhich,atthelastmoment,hadmadeJamesTaggartwanttoattendtheopeningoftheJohnGaltLine.Shehadforbiddenit."Ifyoucome,Jim,"shehadsaid,"I’llhaveyouthrownoutofyourownTaggartstation.Thisisoneeventyou’renotgoingtosee.