Атлант расправил плечи
The Aristocracy of pull
Thatcigarettewasmachine-made,butitwasnotmadeinanyfactoryIknow—andIknowthemall.MissTaggart,tothebestofmyknowledge,thatcigarettewasnotmadeanywhereonearth."
Reardenstoodby,watchingabsently,whilethewaiterwheeledthedinnertableoutofhishotelroom.KenDanaggerhadleft.Theroomwashalf-dark;byanunspokenagreement,theyhadkeptthelightslowduringtheirdinner,sothatDanagger’sfacewouldnotbenoticedand,perhaps,recognizedbythewaiters.
Theyhadhadtomeetfurtively,likecriminalswhocouldnotbeseentogether.Theycouldnotmeetintheirofficesorintheirhomes,onlyinthecrowdedanonymityofacity,inhissuiteattheWayneFalklandHotel.Therecouldbeafineof$10,000andtenyearsofimprisonmentforeachofthem,ifitbecameknownthathehadagreedtodelivertoDanaggerfourthousandtonsofstructuralshapesofReardenMetal.
Theyhadnotdiscussedthatlaw,attheirdinnertogether,ortheirmotivesortherisktheyweretaking.Theyhadmerelytalkedbusiness.
