Атлант расправил плечи

           Hesmiled,anopen,unresentfulsmileinacknowledgmentofhervictory."Allright,Lillian,"hesaidquietly,"IpromisetobehereonthenightofDecembertenth."

           "Thankyou,dear."Hersmilehadaclosed,mysteriousquality;hewonderedwhyhehadamoment’simpressionthathisattitudehaddisappointedthemall.

           Ifshetrustedhim,hethought,ifherfeelingforhimwasstillalive,thenhewouldmatchhertrust.Hehadtosayit;wordswerealenstofocusone’smind,andhecouldnotusewordsforanythingelsetonight."I’msorryI’mlate,Lillian,buttodayatthemillswepouredthefirstheatofReardenMetal."

           Therewasamomentofsilence.ThenPhilipsaid,"Well,that’snice."

           Theotherssaidnothing.

           Heputhishandinhispocket.Whenhetouchedit,therealityofthebraceletsweptouteverythingelse;hefeltashehadfeltwhentheliquidmetalhadpouredthroughspacebeforehim.

           "Ibroughtyouapresent,Lillian."

           Hedidnotknowthathestoodstraightandthatthegestureofhisarmwasthatofareturningcrusaderofferinghistrophytohislove,whenhedroppedasmallchainofmetalintoherlap.

           LillianReardenpickeditup,hookedonthetipsoftwostraightfingers,andraisedittothelight.Thelinkswereheavy,crudelymade,theshiningmetalhadanoddtinge,itwasgreenish-blue.

           "What’sthat?"sheasked.

           "ThefirstthingmadefromthefirstheatofthefirstorderofReardenMetal."

           "Youmean,"shesaid,"it’sfullyasvaluableasapieceofrailroadrails?"

           Helookedatherblankly.