Атлант расправил плечи
The Man who belonged on Earth
LightsfloodedthemountainsofColoradofromthegreatwindowsoftheplant,wheretheassemblybeltsofLawrenceHammondpouredtrucksandcarstothesidingsofTaggartTranscontinental.ThewordthatLawrenceHammondhadretiredcamewhenleastexpected,briefandsuddenlikethesinglestrokeofabellinaheavystillness.Acommitteeoflocalcitizenswasnowbroadcastingappealsontheradio,beggingLawrenceHammond,whereverhewas,togivethempermissiontoreopenhisplant.Therewasnoanswer.
ShehadscreamedwhenEllisWyattwent;shehadgaspedwhenAndrewStocktonretired;whensheheardthatLawrenceHammondhadquit,sheaskedimpassively,"Who’snext?"
"No,MissTaggart,Ican’texplainit,"thesisterofAndrewStocktonhadtoldheronherlasttriptoColorado,twomonthsago."HeneversaidawordtomeandIdon’tevenknowwhetherhe’sdeadorliving,sameasEllisWyatt.No,nothingspecialhadhappenedthedaybeforehequit.Irememberonlythatsomemancametoseehimonthatlastevening.AstrangerI’dneverseenbefore.Theytalkedlateintothenight—whenIwenttosleep,thelightwasstillburninginAndrew’sstudy."
PeopleweresilentinthetownsofColorado.Dagnyhadseenthewaytheywalkedinthestreets,pasttheirsmalldrugstores,hardwarestoresandgrocerymarkets:asiftheyhopedthatthemotionsoftheirjobswouldsavethemfromlookingaheadatthefuture.
