Атлант расправил плечи
The Man who belonged on Earth
Inmomentsofsuffering,hehadneverletpainwinitsonepermanentvictory:hehadneverallowedittomakehimlosethedesireforjoy.Hehadneverdoubtedthenatureoftheworldorman’sgreatnessasitsmotivepoweranditscore.Yearsago,hehadwonderedwithcontemptuousincredulityaboutthefanaticalsectsthatappearedamongmeninthedarkcornersofhistory,thesectswhobelievedthatmanwastrappedinamalevolentuniverseruledbyevilforthesolepurposeofhistorture.Tonight,heknewwhattheirvisionoftheworldandtheirfeelofithadbeen.Ifwhathenowsawaroundhimwastheworldinwhichhelived,thenhedidnotwanttotouchanypartofit,hedidnotwanttofightit,hewasanoutsiderwithnothingatstakeandnoconcernforremainingalivemuchlonger.
Dagnyandhiswishtoseeherweretheonlyexceptionlefttohim.
Thewishremained.Butinasuddenshock,herealizedthathefeltnodesiretosleepwithhertonight.Thatdesire—whichhadnevergivenhimamoment’srest,whichhadbeengrowing,feedingonitsownsatisfaction—waswipedout.Itwasanoddimpotence,neitherofhismindnorofhisbody.Hefelt,aspassionatelyashehadeverfeltit,thatshewasthemostdesirablewomanonearth;butwhatcamefromitwasonlyadesiretodesireher,awishtofeel,notafeeling.Thesenseofnumbnessseemedimpersonal,asifitsrootwereneitherinhimnorinher;asifitweretheactofsexthatnowbelongedtoarealmwhichhehadleft.
