Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           "Henry,there’snobetterwaytostopme,isthere?"Shehadanairofhelpless,appealingsincerity."WhatcanIsayafterthat?SupposeIwantedtotellyouaboutthenewnovelwhichBalphEubankiswriting—heisdedicatingittome—wouldthatinterestyou?"

           "Ifit’sthetruththatyouwant—notintheleast."

           Shelaughed."Andifit’snotthetruththatIwant?"

           "ThenIwouldn’tknowwhattosay,"heanswered—andfeltarushofbloodtohisbrain,tightasaslap,realizingsuddenlythedoubleinfamyofalieutteredinprotestationofhonesty;hehadsaiditsincerely,butitimpliedaboasttowhichhehadnorightanylonger."Whywouldyouwantit,ifit’snotthetruth?"heasked."Whatfor?"

           "Nowyousee,that’sthecrueltyofconscientiouspeople.Youwouldn’tunderstandit—wouldyou?—ifIansweredthatrealdevotionconsistsofbeingwillingtolie,cheatandfakeinordertomakeanotherpersonhappy—tocreateforhimtherealityhewants,ifhedoesn’tliketheonethatexists."

           "No,"hesaidslowly,"Iwouldn’tunderstandit."

           "It’sreallyverysimple.Ifyoutellabeautifulwomanthatsheisbeautiful,whathaveyougivenher?It’snomorethanafactandithascostyounothing.Butifyoutellanuglywomanthatsheisbeautiful,youofferherthegreathomageofcorruptingtheconceptofbeauty.Toloveawomanforhervirtuesismeaningless.