Атлант расправил плечи
The Man who belonged on Earth
"TheboyshadfriendsinWashington,LookingattheTaggartrailfromtheplatformofsomecountrystation,shehadfoundherselffeeling,notthebrilliantprideshehadoncefelt,butafoggy,guiltyshame,asifsomefoulkindofrusthadgrownonthemetal,andworse:asiftherusthadatingeofblood.Butthen,intheconcourseoftheTerminal,shelookedatthestatueofNatTaggartandthought:Itwasyourrail,youmadeit,youfoughtforit,youwerenotstoppedbyfearorbyloathing—Iwon’tsurrenderittothemenofbloodandrust—andI’mtheonlyonelefttoguardit.
Shehadnotgivenupherquestforthemanwhoinventedthemotor.
Itwastheonlypartofherworkthatmadeherabletobeartherest.
Itwastheonlygoalinsightthatgavemeaningtoherstruggle.Thereweretimeswhenshewonderedwhyshewantedtorebuildthatmotor.
Whatfor?—somevoiceseemedtoaskher.BecauseI’mstillalive,sheanswered.Butherquesthadremainedfutile.HertwoengineershadfoundnothinginWisconsin.ShehadsentthemtosearchthroughthecountryformenwhohadworkedforTwentiethCentury,tolearnthenameoftheinventor.Theyhadlearnednothing.ShehadsentthemtosearchthroughthefilesofthePatentOffice;nopatentforthemotorhadeverbeenregistered.
Theonlyremnantofherpersonalquestwasthestubofthecigarettewiththedollarsign.
