Атлант расправил плечи

           Peoplegetfitstryingtokeepuptheshow,whenit’sallrot,blackrot,theautomobiles,thebuildingsandthesouls,anditdoesn’tmakeanydifference,onewayoranother.Youshould’veseenthekindofliteratiwhoturnedflip-flopswhenIwhistled,whenIhadthedough.Theprofessors,thepoets,theintellectuals,theworld-saversandthebrother-lovers.AnywayIwhistled.Ihadlotsoffun.Iwantedtodogood,butnowIdon’t.Thereisn’tanygood.Notanygoddamngoodinthewholegoddamnuniverse.Idon’tproposetotakeabathifIdon’tfeellikeit,andthat’sthat.Ifyouwanttoknowanythingaboutthefactory,askmysister.Mysweetsisterwhohadatrustfundtheycouldn’ttouch,soshegotoutofitsafe,evenifshe’sinthehamburgerclassnow,notthefiletmignonalaSauceBearnaise,butwouldshegiveapennyofittoherbrother?Thenobleplanthatbustedwasherideaasmuchasmine,butwillshegivemeapenny?

           Hah!Gotakealookattheduchess,takealook.WhatdoIcareaboutthefactory?Itwasjustapileofgreasymachinery.I’llsellyouallmyrights,claimsandtitletoit—foradrink.I’mthelastoftheStarnesname.Itusedtobeagreatname—Starnes.I’llsellittoyou.YouthinkI’mastinkingbum,butthatgoesforalltherestofthemandforrichladieslikeyou,too.Iwantedtodogoodforhumanity.Hah!Iwishthey’dallboilinoil.Belotsoffun.Iwishthey’dchoke.