Атлант расправил плечи
The John Galt line
Itwasanetofconnections,moreintricate,morecrucialthanalloftheirwiresandcircuits:therationalconnectionsmadebythathumanmindwhichhadfashionedanyonepartofthemforthefirsttime.
Theyarealive,shethought,buttheirsouloperatesthembyremotecontrol.Theirsoulisineverymanwhohasthecapacitytoequalthisachievement.Shouldthesoulvanishfromtheearth,themotorswouldstop,becausethatisthepowerwhichkeepsthemgoing—nottheoilunderthefloorunderherfeet,theoilthatwouldthenbecomeprimevaloozeagain—notthesteelcylindersthatwouldbecomestainsofrustonthewallsofthecavesofshiveringsavages—thepowerofalivingmind—thepowerofthoughtandchoiceandpurpose.
Shewasmakingherwaybacktowardthecab,feelingthatshewantedtolaugh,tokneelortoliftherarms,wishingshewereabletoreleasethethingshefelt,knowingthatithadnoformofexpression.
Shestopped.ShesawReardenstandingbythestepsofthedoortothecab.Hewaslookingatherasifheknewwhyshehadescapedandwhatshefelt.Theystoodstill,theirbodiesbecomingaglancethatmetacrossanarrowpassage.Thebeatingwithinherwasonewiththebeatingofthemotors—andshefeltasifbothcamefromhim;thepoundingrhythmwipedoutherwill.Theywentbacktothecab,silently,knowingthattherehadbeenamomentwhichwasnottobementionedbetweenthem.
Thecliffsaheadwereabright,liquidgold.
