Атлант расправил плечи
The Man who belonged on Earth
Thentheirbiggestcustomers,suchaspowercompanies,whodrankoilbythetrainfulandwouldmakenoallowancesforhumanfrailty,begantoconverttocoal—andthesmallercustomers,whoweremoretolerant,begantogooutofbusiness—theboysinWashingtonimposedrationingonoilandanemergencytaxonemployerstosupporttheunemployedoilfieldworkers—thenafewofthebigoilcompaniescloseddown—thenthelittlefellowsinthesundiscoveredthatadrillingbitwhichhadcostahundreddollars,nowcostthemfivehundred,therebeingnomarketforoilfieldequipment,andthesuppliershavingtoearnononedrillwhattheyhadearnedonfive,orperish—thenthepipelinesbegantoclose,therebeingnooneabletopayfortheirupkeep—thentherailroadsweregrantedpermissiontoraisetheirfreightrates,therebeinglittleoiltocarryandthecostofrunningtanktrainshavingcrushedtwosmalllinesoutofexistence—andwhenthesunwentdown,theysawthattheoperatingcosts,whichhadoncepermittedthemtoexistontheirsixty-acrefields,hadbeenmadepossiblebythemilesofWyatt’shillsideandhadgoneinthesamecoilsofsmoke.Notuntiltheirfortuneshadvanishedandtheirpumpshadstopped,didthelittlefellowsrealizethatnobusinessinthecountrycouldaffordtobuyoilatthepriceitwouldnowtakethemtoproduceit.
