Атлант расправил плечи

           AndIdon’tthinkthatitmeansadamn,onewayoranother."

           "Thenewspapersareagainstyou."

           "Theyhavetimetowaste.Ihaven’t."

           "Idon’tlikeit,Hank.It’snotgood."

           "What?"

           "Whattheywriteaboutyou."

           "Whatdotheywriteaboutme?"

           "Well,youknowthestuff.Thatyou’reintractable.Thatyou’reruthless.Thatyouwon’tallowanyoneanyvoiceintherunningofyourmills.Thatyouronlygoalistomakesteelandtomakemoney."

           "Butthatismyonlygoal."

           "Butyoushouldn’tsayit."

           "Whynot?WhatisitI’msupposedtosay?"

           "Oh,Idon’tknow...Butyourmills—"

           "They’remymills,aren’tthey?"

           "Yes,but—butyoushouldn’tremindpeopleofthattooloudly....Youknowhowitisnowadays....Theythinkthatyourattitudeisanti-social."

           "Idon’tgiveadamnwhattheythink."

           PaulLarkinsighed.

           "What’sthematter,Paul?Whatareyoudrivingat?"

           "Nothing...nothinginparticular.Onlyoneneverknowswhatcanhappenintimeslikethese....Onehastobesocareful..."

           Reardenchuckled."You’renottryingtoworryaboutme,areyou?"

           "It’sjustthatI’myourfriend,Hank.I’myourfriend.YouknowhowmuchIadmireyou."

           PaulLarkinhadalwaysbeenunlucky.Nothinghetouchedevercameoffquitewell,nothingeverquitefailedorsucceeded.Hewasabusinessman,buthecouldnotmanagetoremainforlonginanyonelineofbusiness.Atthemoment,hewasstrugglingwithamodestplantthatmanufacturedminingequipment.