Атлант расправил плечи
The Man who belonged on Earth
Then,WesleyMouchhadissuedanotherdirective,whichruledthatpeoplecouldgettheirbonds"defrozen"uponapleaof"essentialneed":thegovernmentwouldpurchasethebonds,ifitfoundtheproofoftheneedsatisfactory.Therewerethreequestionsthatnooneansweredorasked:"Whatconstitutedproof?""Whatconstitutedneed?""Essential—towhom?"
Thenitbecamebadmannerstodiscusswhyonemanreceivedthegrantdefreezinghismoney,whileanotherhadbeenrefused.Peopleturnedawayinmouth-pinchedsilence,ifanybodyaskeda"why?"Onewassupposedtodescribe,nottoexplain,tocataloguefacts,nottoevaluatethem:Mr.Smithhadbeendefrozen,Mr.Joneshadnot;thatwasall.AndwhenMr.Jonescommittedsuicide,peoplesaid,"Well,Idon’tknow,ifhe’dreallyneededhismoney,thegovernmentwouldhavegivenittohim,butsomemenarejustgreedy."
Onewasnotsupposedtospeakaboutthemenwho,havingbeenrefused,soldtheirbondsforone-thirdofthevaluetoothermenwhopossessedneedswhich,miraculously,madethirty-threefrozencentsmeltintoawholedollar;oraboutanewprofessionpracticedbybrightyoungboysjustoutofcollege,whocalledthemselves"defreezers"andofferedtheirservices"tohelpyoudraftyourapplicationinthepropermodernterms.
