Атлант расправил плечи
The Aristocracy of pull
Ifheconsideredhergoodenoughtobringintothehomeofhisfriends,shethought—theillustriousfriendswhosenamesshehadseenontheinaccessiblemountainpeaksthatwerethesocietycolumnsofthenewspapers—shecouldnotembarrasshimbywearingherolddress.Shespentheryear’ssavingsonaneveninggownofbrightgreenchiffonwithalowneckline,abeltofyellowrosesandarhinestonebuckle.Whensheenteredthesternresidence,withthecold,brilliantlightsandaterracesuspendedovertheroofsofskyscrapers,sheknewthatherdresswaswrongfortheoccasion,thoughshecouldnottellwhy.Butshekeptherpostureproudlystraightandshesmiledwiththecourageoustrustofakittenwhenitseesahandextendedtoplay:peoplegatheredtohaveagoodtimewouldnothurtanyone,shethought.
Attheendofanhour,herattempttosmilehadbecomeahelpless,bewilderedplea.Thenthesmilewent,asshewatchedthepeoplearoundher.Shesawthatthetrim,confidentgirlshadanastyinsolenceofmannerwhentheyspoketoJim,asiftheydidnotrespecthimandneverhad.Oneoftheminparticular,aBettyPope,thedaughterofthehostess,keptmakingremarkstohimwhichCherrylcouldnotunderstand,becauseshecouldnotbelievethatsheunderstoodthemcorrectly.
Noonehadpaidanyattentiontoher,atfirst,exceptforafewastonishedglancesathergown.Afterawhile,shesawthemlookingather.
