Атлант расправил плечи

           SheheardanelderlywomanaskJim,intheanxioustoneofreferringtosomedistinguishedfamilyshehadmissedknowing,"DidyousayMissBrooksofMadisonSquare?"ShesawanoddsmileonJim’sface,whenheanswered,makinghisvoicesoundpeculiarlyclear,"Yes—thecosmeticscounterofRaleigh’sFiveandTen."Thenshesawsomepeoplebecomingtoopolitetoher,andothersmovingawayinapointedmanner,andmostofthembeingsenselesslyawkwardinsimplebewilderment,andJimwatchingsilentlywiththatoddsmile.

           Shetriedtogetoutoftheway,outoftheirnotice.Assheslippedby,alongtheedgeoftheroom,sheheardsomemansay,withashrug,"Well,JimTaggartisoneofthemostpowerfulmeninWashingtonatthemoment."Hedidnotsayitrespectfully.

           Outontheterrace,whereitwasdarker,sheheardtwomentalkingandwonderedwhyshefeltcertainthattheyweretalkingabouther.

           Oneofthemsaid,"Taggartcanaffordtodoit,ifhepleases"andtheothersaidsomethingaboutthehorseofsomeRomanemperornamedCaligula.

           ShelookedatthelonestraightshaftoftheTaggartBuildingrisinginthedistance—andthenshethoughtthatsheunderstood:thesepeoplehatedJimbecausetheyenviedhim.Whatevertheywere,shethought,whatevertheirnamesandtheirmoney,noneofthemhadanachievementcomparabletohis,noneofthemhaddefiedthewholecountrytobuildarailroadeverybodythoughtimpossible.