Атлант расправил плечи

           Shepaused,asifwaitingforananswer,butshedidnotpressitandwentongaily:"Iknowyou’rehavingallsortsoftroubleatthemills—andthenthepoliticalsituationisgettingtobeominous,isn’tit?Iftheypassthoselawsthey’retalkingabout,itwillhityouprettyhard,won’tit?"

           "Yes.Itwill.Butthatisasubjectwhichisofnointeresttoyou,Lillian,isit?"

           "Oh,butitis!"Sheraisedherheadandlookedstraightathim;hereyeshadtheblank,veiledlookhehadseenbefore,alookofdeliberatemysteryandofconfidenceinhisinabilitytosolveit."Itisofgreatinteresttome...thoughnotbecauseofanypossiblefinanciallosses,"sheaddedsoftly.

           Hewondered,forthefirsttime,whetherherspite,hersarcasm,thecowardlymannerofdeliveringinsultsundertheprotectionofasmile,werenottheoppositeofwhathehadalwaystakenthemtobe—notamethodoftorture,butatwistedformofdespair,notadesiretomakehimsuffer,butaconfessionofherownpain,adefensefortheprideofanunlovedwife,asecretplea—sothatthesubtle,thehinted,theevasiveinhermanner,thethingbeggingtobeunderstood,wasnottheopenmalice,butthehiddenlove.Hethoughtofit,aghast.Itmadehisguiltgreaterthanhehadevercontemplated.

           "Ifwe’retalkingpolitics,Henry,Ihadanamusingthought.