Атлант расправил плечи
Wyatt’s torch
Andsomeexecutive,don’tknowwhohewas,hadastallshowerinhisbathroom,thelikeofwhichIneversaw.Aglassdoorwithamermaidcutintheglass,realartwork,andhotstuff,too,hotterthananyoilpainting.SoIhadthatshowerliftedandmovedhere.Whatthehell,Iownedit,didn’tI?Iwasentitledtogetsomethingvaluableoutofthatfactory."
"Whosebankruptcysalewasit,whenyouboughtthefactory?"
"Oh,thatwasthebigcrashoftheCommunityNationalBankinMadison.Boy,wasthatacrash!ItjustaboutfinishedthewholestateofWisconsin—surefinishedthispartofit.Somesayitwasthismotorfactorythatbrokethebank,butotherssayitwasonlythelastdropinaleakingbucket,becausetheCommunityNationalhadbuminvestmentsalloverthreeorfourstates.EugeneLawsonwastheheadofit.Thebankerwithaheart,theycalledhim.Hewasquitefamousinthesepartstwo-threeyearsago."
"DidLawsonoperatethefactory?"
"No.Hemerelylentanawfullotofmoneyonit,morethanhecouldeverhopetogetbackoutoftheolddump.Whenthefactorybusted,thatwasthelaststrawforGeneLawson.Thebankbustedthreemonthslater."Hesighed."Ithitthefolksprettyhardaroundhere.TheyallhadtheirlifesavingsintheCommunityNational."
MayorBascomlookedregretfullypasthisporchrailingathistown.
