Атлант расправил плечи

           HehearddimlythatLillianwasarguing,defendinghimagainsthismother.

           "Iknowhimbetterthanyoudo,"hismotherwassaying."HankRearden’snotinterestedinman,beastorweedunlessit’stiedinsomewaytohimselfandhiswork.That’sallhecaresabout.I’vetriedmybesttoteachhimsomehumility,I’vetriedallmylife,butI’vefailed."

           Hehadofferedhismotherunlimitedmeanstoliveasandwhereshepleased;hewonderedwhyshehadinsistedthatshewantedtolivewithhim.Hissuccess,hehadthought,meantsomethingtoher,andifitdid,thenitwasabondbetweenthem,theonlykindofbondherecognized;ifshewantedaplaceinthehomeofhersuccessfulson,hewouldnotdenyittoher.

           "It’snousehopingtomakeasaintoutofHenry,Mother,"saidPhilip."Hewasn’tmeanttobeone."

           "Ohbut,Philip,you’rewrong!"saidLillian."You’resowrong!Henryhasallthemakingsofasaint.That’sthetrouble."

           Whatdidtheyseekfromhim?—thoughtRearden—whatweretheyafter?Hehadneveraskedanythingofthem;itwastheywhowishedtoholdhim,theywhopressedaclaimonhim—andtheclaimseemedtohavetheformofaffection,butitwasaformwhichhefoundhardertoendurethananysortofhatred.Hedespisedcauselessaffection,justashedespisedunearnedwealth.Theyprofessedtolovehimforsomeunknownreasonandtheyignoredallthethingsforwhichhecouldwishtobeloved.