Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           "Ididn’twanttorefuseapeaceoffer—whenI’vebeatenthemandtheyknowit.I’llneverjointhem,butaninvitationtoappearasaguestofhonor—well,Ithoughttheyweregoodlosers.Ithoughtitwasgenerousofthem."

           "Ofthem?"

           "Areyougoingtosay:ofme?"

           "Hank!Afterallthethingsthey’vedonetostopyou—"

           "Iwon,didn’tI?SoIthought...Youknow,Ididn’tholditagainstthemthattheycouldn’tseethevalueoftheMetalsooner—solongastheysawitatlast.Everymanlearnsinhisownwayandtime.

           Sure,Iknewtherewasalotofcowardicethere,andenvyandhypocrisy,butIthoughtthatthatwasonlythesurface—now,whenI’veprovedmycase,whenI’veproveditsoloudly!—IthoughttheirrealmotiveforinvitingmewastheirappreciationoftheMetal,and—"

           Shesmiledinthebriefspaceofhispause;sheknewthesentencehehadstoppedhimselffromuttering:"—andforthat,Iwouldforgiveanyoneanything."

           "Butitwasn’t,"hesaid."AndIcouldn’tfigureoutwhattheirmotivewas.Dagny,Idon’tthinktheyhadanymotiveatall.Theydidn’tgivethatbanquettopleaseme,ortogainsomethingfromme,ortosavefacewiththepublic.Therewasnopurposeofanykindaboutit,nomeaning.Theydidn’treallycarewhentheydenouncedtheMetal—andtheydon’tcarenow.