Атлант расправил плечи

           "Isitaninferioritycomplexorasuperiorityone,Henry?Doyoubelievethatnobodycanwanttoseeyoujustforyourownsake,ordoyoubelievethatnobodycangetalongwithoutyourhelp?"

           Hewantedtoutteranangrydenial,butshewassmilingathimasifthisweremerelyaconversationaljoke,andhehadnocapacityforthesortofconversationswhichwerenotsupposedtobemeant,sohedidnotanswer.Hestoodlookingather,wonderingaboutthethingshehadneverbeenabletounderstand.

           LillianReardenwasgenerallyregardedasabeautifulwoman.Shehadatall,gracefulbody,thekindthatlookedwellinhigh-waistedgownsoftheEmpirestyle,whichshemadeitapracticetowear.Herexquisiteprofilebelongedtoacameoofthesameperiod:itspure,proudlinesandthelustrous,lightbrownwavesofherhair,wornwithclassicalsimplicity,suggestedanaustere,imperialbeauty.Butwhensheturnedfull-face,peopleexperiencedasmallshockofdisappointment.Herfacewasnotbeautiful.Theeyesweretheflaw:theywerevaguelypale,neitherquitegraynorbrown,lifelesslyemptyofexpression.Reardenhadalwayswondered,sincesheseemedamusedsooften,whytherewasnogaietyinherface.

           "Wehavemetbefore,dear,"shesaid,inanswertohissilentscrutiny,"thoughyoudon’tseemtobesureofit."

           "Haveyouhadanydinner,Henry?"hismotherasked;therewasareproachfulimpatienceinhervoice,asifhishungerwereapersonalinsulttoher.

           "Yes...No...Iwasn’thungry."