Атлант расправил плечи

           Thereisn’tanybettershowintown—norbetterpublicized.It’saperfectlyridiculousmarriage,butjustaboutwhatyou’dexpectfromJimTaggart."

           Shewasmovingcasuallythroughtheroom,glancingaround,asifgettingacquaintedwithanunfamiliarplace."Ihaven’tbeeninNewYorkforyears,"shesaid."Notwithyou,thatis.Notonanyformaloccasion."

           Henoticedthepauseintheaimlesswanderingofhereyes,aglancethatstoppedbrieflyonafilledashtrayandmovedon.Hefeltastabofrevulsion.

           Shesawitinhisfaceandlaughedgaily."Ohbut,darling,I’mnotrelieved!I’mdisappointed.IdidhopeI’dfindafewcigarettebuttssmearedwithlipstick."

           Hegavehercreditfortheadmissionofthespying,evenifundercoverofajoke.Butsomethinginthestressedfranknessofhermannermadehimwonderwhethershewasjoking;fortheflashofaninstant,hefeltthatshehadtoldhimthetruth.Hedismissedtheimpression,becausehecouldnotconceiveofitaspossible.

           "I’mafraidthatyou’llneverbehuman,"shesaid."SoI’msurethatIhavenorival.AndifIhave—whichIdoubt,darling—Idon’tthinkI’llworryaboutit,becauseifit’sapersonwho’salwaysavailableoncall,withoutappointment—well,everybodyknowswhatsortofapersonthatis."

           Hethoughtthathewouldhavetobecareful;hehadbeenabouttoslapherface.