Атлант расправил плечи
The Man who belonged on Earth
ButOrrenBoyle’sbestspecialalloywassomecrackingmixturethatnoonecaredtobuy.ThenhehadbeentoldthathecouldproduceReardenMetalintheamountthatOrrenBoylecouldhaveproduced,ifhecouldhaveproducedit.Nobodyhadknownhowthiswastobedetermined.SomebodyinWashingtonhadannouncedafigure,naminganumberoftonsperyear,givingnoreasons.Everybodyhadletitgoatthat.
HehadnotknownhowtogiveeveryconsumerwhodemandeditanequalshareofReardenMetal.Thewaitinglistoforderscouldnotbefilledinthreeyears,evenhadhebeenpermittedtoworkatfullcapacity.Neworderswerecomingindaily.Theywerenotordersanylonger,intheold,honorablesenseoftrade;theyweredemands.ThelawprovidedthathecouldbesuedbyanyconsumerwhofailedtoreceivehisfairshareofReardenMetal.
Nobodyhadknownhowtodeterminewhatconstitutedafairshareofwhatamount.ThenabrightyoungboyjustoutofcollegehadbeensenttohimfromWashington,asDeputyDirectorofDistribution.Aftermanytelephoneconferenceswiththecapital,theboyannouncedthatcustomerswouldgetfivehundredtonsoftheMetaleach,intheorderofthedatesoftheirapplications.Nobodyhadarguedagainsthisfigure.
Therewasnowaytoformanargument;thefigurecouldhavebeenonepoundoronemilliontons,withthesamevalidity.TheboyhadestablishedanofficeattheReardenmills,wherefourgirlstookapplicationsforsharesofReardenMetal.
