Атлант расправил плечи

           Therewasnoreasonwhyshefeltthatshehadtosolvetheseriddles,exceptthattheyweremysterieswhichhadnobusinessbeingmysteries:theycouldnotbecauseless,yetnoknowncausecouldexplainthem.

           MidasMulliganhadoncebeentherichestand,consequently,themostdenouncedmaninthecountry.Hehadnevertakenalossonanyinvestmenthemade;everythinghetouchedturnedintogold."It’sbecauseIknowwhattotouch,"hesaid.Nobodycouldgraspthepatternofhisinvestments:herejecteddealsthatwereconsideredflawlesslysafe,andheputenormousamountsintoventuresthatnootherbankerwouldhandle.Throughtheyears,hehadbeenthetriggerthathadsentunexpected,spectacularbulletsofindustrialsuccessshootingoverthecountry.ItwashewhohadinvestedinReardenSteelatitsstart,thushelpingReardentocompletethepurchaseoftheabandonedsteelmillsinPennsylvania.Whenaneconomistreferredtohimonceasanaudaciousgambler,Mulligansaid,"Thereasonwhyyou’llnevergetrichisbecauseyouthinkthatwhatIdoisgambling."

           ItwasrumoredthatonehadtoobserveacertainunwrittenrulewhendealingwithMidasMulligan:ifanapplicantforaloanevermentionedhispersonalneedoranypersonalfeelingwhatever,theinterviewendedandhewasnevergivenanotherchancetospeaktoMr.Mulligan.

           "Whyyes,Ican,"saidMidasMulligan,whenhewasaskedwhetherhecouldnameapersonmoreevilthanthemanwithaheartclosedtopity.