Атлант расправил плечи
The Man who belonged on Earth
"Youknow,MissTaggart,Idon’tthinkthatsuchamotorshouldeverbemade,evenifsomebodydidlearnhowtomakeit.Itwouldbesosuperiortoanythingwe’vegotthatitwouldbeunfairtolesserscientists,becauseitwouldleavenofieldfortheirachievementsandabilities.Idon’tthinkthatthestrongshouldhavetherighttowoundtheselfesteemoftheweak."Shehadorderedhimoutofheroffice,andhadsatinincreduloushorrorbeforethefactthatthemostviciousstatementshehadeverheardhadbeenutteredinatoneofmoralrighteousness.
ThedecisiontospeaktoDr.RobertStadlerhadbeenherlastrecourse.
Shehadforcedherselftocallhim,againsttheresistanceofsomeimmovablepointwithinherthatfeltlikebrakesslammedtight.Shehadarguedagainstherself.Shehadthought:IdealwithmenlikeJimandOrrenBoyle—hisguiltislessthantheirs—whycan’tIspeaktohim?
Shehadfoundnoanswer,onlyastubbornsenseofreluctance,onlythefeelingthatofallthemenonearth,Dr.RobertStadlerwastheoneshemustnotcall.
Asshesatatherdesk,overtheschedulesoftheJohnGaltLine,waitingforDr.Stadlertocome,shewonderedwhynofirst-ratetalenthadriseninthefieldofscienceforyears.Shewasunabletolookforananswer.ShewaslookingattheblacklinewhichwasthecorpseofTrainNumber93ontheschedulebeforeher.
