Атлант расправил плечи

           Itwasusedtoprotectdaylaborersandsuch,butitappliedtomeandmypartnersaswell,didn’tit?Sowewenttocourt,andwetestifiedaboutthebadbreakswe’dallhadinthepast,andIquotedMulligansayingthatIcouldn’tevenownavegetablepushcart,andweprovedthatallthemembersoftheAmalgamatedServicecorporationhadnoprestige,nocredit,nowaytomakealiving—and,therefore,thepurchaseofthemotorfactorywasouronlychanceoflivelihood—and,therefore,MidasMulliganhadnorighttodiscriminateagainstus—and,therefore,wewereentitledtodemandaloanfromhimunderthelaw.Oh,wehadaperfectcaseallright,butthemanwhopresidedatthetrialwasJudgeNarragansett,oneofthoseold-fashionedmonksofthebenchwhothinkslikeamathematicianandneverfeelsthehumansideofanything.Hejustsatthereallthroughthetriallikeamarblestatue—likeoneofthoseblindfoldedmarblestatues.Attheend,heinstructedthejurytobringinaverdictinfavorofMidasMulligan—andhesaidsomeveryharshthingsaboutmeandmypartners.Butweappealedtoahighercourt—andthehighercourtreversedtheverdictandorderedMulligantogiveustheloanonourterms.Hehadthreemonthsinwhichtocomply,butbeforethethreemonthswereup,somethinghappenedthatnobodycanfigureoutandhevanishedintothinair,heandhisbank.Therewasn’tanextrapennyleftofthatbank,tocollectourlawfulclaim.Wewastedalotofmoneyondetectives,tryingtofindhim—aswhodidn’t?—butwegaveitup.