Атлант расправил плечи
The Man who belonged on Earth
She,too,hadwalkedthroughthosestreets,tryingnottoliftherhead,nottoseetheledgesofsootedrockandtwistedsteel,whichhadbeentheWyattoilfields.Theycouldbeseenfrommanyofthetowns;whenshehadlookedahead,shehadseentheminthedistance.
Onewell,onthecrestofthehill,wasstillburning.Nobodyhadbeenabletoextinguishit.Shehadseenitfromthestreets:aspurtoffiretwistingconvulsivelyagainstthesky,asiftryingtotearloose.Shehadseenitatnight,acrossthedistanceofahundredclear,blackmiles,fromthewindowofatrain:asmall,violentflame,wavinginthewind.
PeoplecalleditWyatt’sTorch.
ThelongesttrainontheJohnGaltLinehadfortycars;thefastestranatfiftymilesanhour.Theengineshadtobespared:theywerecoalburningengines,longpasttheirageofretirement.JimobtainedtheoilfortheDieselsthatpulledtheCometandafewoftheirtranscontinentalfreights.TheonlysourceoffuelshecouldcountonanddealwithwasKenDanaggerofDanaggerCoalinPennsylvania.
Emptytrainsclatteredthroughthefourstatesthatweretied,asneighbors,tothethroatofColorado.Theycarriedafewcarloadsofsheep,somecorn,somemelonsandanoccasionalfarmerwithanoverdressedfamily,whohadfriendsinWashington.JimhadobtainedasubsidyfromWashingtonforeverytrainthatwasrun,notasaprofitmakingcarrier,butasaserviceof"publicequality.
