Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           "Ithoughtamanlikeyou—youwouldn’tknowhowmeantheycanbeandhowtheytrytosteponyouandrideonyourback,ifyouletthem.Ithoughtthebigmenintheworldcouldgetawayfromthemandnothavetobeflea-baitallofthetime,butmaybeIwaswrong."

           "Whatdoyoumean,flea-bait?"

           "Oh,it’sjustsomethingItellmyselfwhenthingsgettough—thatI’vegottobeatmywayouttowhereIwon’tfeellikeI’mflea-bittenallthetimebyallkindsoflousiness—butmaybeit’sthesameanywhere,onlythefleasgetbigger."

           "Muchbigger."

           Sheremainedsilent,asifconsideringsomething."It’sfunny,"shesaidsadlytosomethoughtofherown.

           "What’sfunny?"

           "Ireadabookoncewhereitsaidthatgreatmenarealwaysunhappy,andthegreater—theunhappier.Itdidn’tmakesensetome.Butmaybeit’strue."

           "It’smuchtruerthanyouthink."

           Shelookedaway,herfacedisturbed.

           "Whydoyouworrysomuchaboutthegreatmen?"heasked."Whatareyou,aheroworshipperofsomekind?"

           Sheturnedtolookathimandhesawthelightofaninnersmile,whileherfaceremainedsolemnlygrave;itwasthemosteloquentlypersonalglancehehadeverseendirectedathimself,whilesheansweredinaquiet,impersonalvoice,"Mr.