Атлант расправил плечи
The Man who belonged on Earth
"
Thiswasonlyasmall,extraneousstabofpain,hethought,afeelingofdisappointmentinanexpectationhehadneverhadtherighttoexpect;heshouldhaveknownthatthiswasjustwhatamanlikeFranciscod’Anconiawoulddo—andhewonderedangrilywhyhefeltasifabright,briefflamehaddiedsomewhereinalightlessworld.
Hedidnotknowwhethertheimpossibilityofactinghadgivenhimthissenseofloathing,orwhethertheloathinghadmadehimlosethedesiretoact.It’sboth,hethought;adesirepresupposesthepossibilityofactiontoachieveit;actionpresupposesagoalwhichisworthachieving.Iftheonlygoalpossiblewastowheedleaprecariousmoment’sfavorfrommenwhoheldguns,thenneitheractionnordesirecouldexistanylonger.
Thencouldlife?—heaskedhimselfindifferently.Life,hethought,hadbeendefinedasmotion;man’slifewaspurposefulmotion;whatwasthestateofabeingtowhompurposeandmotionweredenied,abeingheldinchainsbutlefttobreatheandtoseeallthemagnificenceofthepossibilitieshecouldhavereached,lefttoscream"Why?"andtobeshownthemuzzleofagunassoleexplanation?Heshrugged,walkingon;hedidnotcareeventofindananswer.
Heobserved,indifferently,thedevastationwroughtbyhisownindifference.Nomatterhowhardastrugglehehadlivedthroughinthepast,hehadneverreachedtheultimateuglinessofabandoningthewilltoact.
