Атлант расправил плечи

           Shehadforgottenit,untilarecentevening,whenshehadfounditinadrawerofherdeskandgivenittoherfriendatthecigarcounteroftheconcourse.Theoldmanhadbeenveryastonished,asheexaminedthestub,holdingitcautiouslybetweentwofingers;hehadneverheardofsuchabrandandwonderedhowhecouldhavemissedit."Wasitofgoodquality,MissTaggart?""ThebestI’veeversmoked."Hehadshakenhishead,puzzled.Hehadpromisedtodiscoverwherethosecigarettesweremadeandtogetheracarton.

           Shehadtriedtofindascientistabletoattemptthereconstructionofthemotor.Shehadinterviewedthemenrecommendedtoherasthebestintheirfield.Thefirstone,afterstudyingtheremnantsofthemotorandofthemanuscript,haddeclared,inthetoneofadrillsergeant,thatthethingcouldnotwork,hadneverworkedandhewouldprovethatnosuchmotorcouldeverbemadetowork.Thesecondonehaddrawled,inthetoneofananswertoaboringimposition,thathedidnotknowwhetheritcouldbedoneornotanddidnotcaretofindout.Thethirdhadsaid,hisvoicebelligerentlyinsolent,thathewouldattemptthetaskonaten-yearcontractattwenty-fivethousanddollarsayear—"Afterall,MissTaggart,ifyouexpecttomakehugeprofitsonthatmotor,it’syouwhoshouldpayforthegambleofmytime."Thefourth,whowastheyoungest,hadlookedathersilentlyforamomentandthelinesofhisfacehadslitheredfromblanknessintoasuggestionofcontempt.