Атлант расправил плечи

           "Why,darling,"shesaidinabrighttoneofamusement,"isn’tittooearlytocomehome?Wasn’ttheresomeslagtosweeportuyerestopolish?"

           Theyallturnedtohim—hismother,hisbrotherPhilipandPaulLarkin,theiroldfriend.

           "I’msorry,"heanswered."IknowI’mlate."

           "Don’tsayyou’resorry,"saidhismother."Youcouldhavetelephoned."Helookedather,tryingvaguelytoremembersomething."Youpromisedtobeherefordinnertonight."

           "Oh,that’sright,Idid.I’msorry.Buttodayatthemills,wepoured—"Hestopped;hedidnotknowwhatmadehimunabletouttertheonethinghehadcomehometosay;headdedonly,"It’sjustthatI...forgot."

           "That’swhatMothermeans,"saidPhilip.

           "Oh,lethimgethisbearings,he’snotquitehereyet,he’sstillatthemills,"hiswifesaidgaily."Dotakeyourcoatoff,Henry."

           PaulLarkinwaslookingathimwiththedevotedeyesofaninhibiteddog."Hello,Paul,"saidRearden."Whendidyougetin?"

           "Oh,Ijusthoppeddownonthefivethirty-fivefromNewYork."Larkinwassmilingingratitudefortheattention.

           "Trouble?"

           "Whohasn’tgottroublethesedays?"Larkin’ssmilebecameresigned,toindicatethattheremarkwasmerelyphilosophical."Butno,nospecialtroublethistime.IjustthoughtI’ddropintoseeyou."

           Hiswifelaughed."You’vedisappointedhim,Paul."SheturnedtoRearden.