Атлант расправил плечи
The Man who belonged on Earth
Thosetouchymediocritieswhosittremblinglestsomeone’sworkprovegreaterthantheirown—theyhavenoinklingofthelonelinessthatcomeswhenyoureachthetop.Thelonelinessforanequal—foramindtorespectandanachievementtoadmire.Theybaretheirteethatyoufromoutoftheirratholes,thinkingthatyoutakepleasureinlettingyourbrilliancedimthem—whileyou’dgiveayearofyourlifetoseeaflickeroftalentanywhereamongthem.Theyenvyachievement,andtheirdreamofgreatnessisaworldwhereallmenhavebecometheiracknowledgedinferiors.Theydon’tknowthatthatdreamistheinfallibleproofofmediocrity,becausethatsortofworldiswhatthemanofachievementwouldnotbeabletobear.Theyhavenowayofknowingwhathefeelswhensurroundedbyinferiors—hatred?no,nothatred,butboredomtheterrible,hopeless,draining,paralyzingboredom.Ofwhataccountarepraiseandadulationfrommenwhomyoudon’trespect?Haveyoueverfeltthelongingforsomeoneyoucouldadmire?Forsomething,nottolookdownat,butupto?"
"I’vefeltitallmylife,"shesaid.Itwasananswershecouldnotrefusehim.
"Iknow,"hesaid—andtherewasbeautyintheimpersonalgentlenessofhisvoice."IknewitthefirsttimeIspoketoyou.ThatwaswhyIcametoday—"Hestoppedforthebriefestinstant,butshedidnotanswertheappealandhefinishedwiththesamequietgentleness,"Well,thatwaswhyIwantedtoseethemotor.
