Атлант расправил плечи
The Theme
Itstillseemedsimpleandincomprehensibletohim: simplethatthingsshouldberight,andincomprehensiblethattheyweren’t.Heknewthattheyweren’t. Hethoughtofthat,asheturnedacornerandcametothegreatbuildingofTaggartTranscontinental.
Thebuildingstoodoverthestreetasitstallestandproudeststructure. EddieWillersalwayssmiledathisfirstsightofit. Itslongbandsofwindowswereunbroken,incontrasttothoseofitsneighbors. Itsrisinglinescutthesky,withnocrumblingcornersorwornedges. Itseemedtostandabovetheyears,untouched. Itwouldalwaysstandthere,thoughtEddieWillers.
WheneverheenteredtheTaggartBuilding,hefeltreliefandasenseofsecurity. Thiswasaplaceofcompetenceandpower. Thefloorsofitshallwaysweremirrorsmadeofmarble. Thefrostedrectanglesofitselectricfixtureswerechipsofsolidlight. Behindsheetsofglass,rowsofgirlssatattypewriters,theclickingoftheirkeyslikethesoundofspeedingtrainwheels. Andlikeanansweringecho,afaintshudderwentthroughthewallsattimes,risingfromunderthebuilding,fromthetunnelsofthegreatterminalwheretrainsstartedouttocrossacontinentandstoppedaftercrossingitagain,astheyhadstartedandstoppedforgenerationaftergeneration. TaggartTranscontinental,thoughtEddieWillers,FromOceantoOcean—theproudsloganofhischildhood,somuchmoreshiningandholythananycommandmentoftheBible.
