Атлант расправил плечи
The Man who belonged on Earth
Whentheyspeddownadarkroadthroughanemptycountryside,withthestrandsofsnowglitteringacrosstheirheadlights—sherememberedhowhehadlookedinthesummeroftheirvacation,dressedinslacks,stretchedonthegroundofalonelyravine,withthegrassunderhisbodyandthesunonhisbarearms.Hebelongedinthecountryside,shethought—hebelongedeverywhere—hewasamanwhobelongedonearth—andthenshethoughtofthewordswhichweremoreexact:hewasamantowhomtheearthbelonged,themanathomeonearthandincontrol.Why,then—shewondered—shouldhehavehadtocarryaburdenoftragedywhich,insilentendurance,hehadacceptedsocompletelythathehadbarelyknownhecarriedit?Sheknewpartoftheanswer;shefeltasifthewholeanswerwerecloseandshewouldgraspitonsomeapproachingday.Butshedidnotwanttothinkofitnow,becausetheyweremovingawayfromtheburdens,becausewithinthespaceofaspeedingcartheyheldthestillnessoffullhappiness.Shemovedherheadimperceptiblytoletittouchhisshoulderforamoment.
Thecarleftthehighwayandturnedtowardthelightedsquaresofdistantwindows,thathungabovethesnowbeyondagrillworkofbarebranches.Then,inasoft,dimlight,theysatatatablebyawindowfacingdarknessandtrees.Theinnstoodonaknollinthewoods;ithadtheluxuryofhighcostandprivacy,andanairofbeautifultastesuggestingthatithadnotbeendiscoveredbythosewhosoughthighcostandnotice.
