Атлант расправил плечи
The Aristocracy of pull
Hehadneverfeltitbefore;buthefeltithere,whereeveryonehadtherighttoapproachher,excepthimself.
Then,asifasingle,suddenblowtohisbrainblastedamoment’sshiftofperspective,hefeltanimmenseastonishmentatwhathewasdoinghereandwhy.Helost,forthatmoment,allthedaysanddogmasofhispast;hisconcepts,hisproblems,hispainwerewipedout;heknewonly—asfromagreat,cleardistance—thatmanexistsfortheachievementofhisdesires,andhewonderedwhyhestoodhere,hewonderedwhohadtherighttodemandthathewasteasingleirreplaceablehourofhislife,whenhisonlydesirewastoseizetheslenderfigureingrayandholdherthroughthelengthofwhatevertimetherewasleftforhimtoexist.
Inthenextmoment,hefelttheshudderofrecapturinghismind.Hefeltthetight,contemptuousmovementofhislipspressedtogetherintokenofthewordshecriedtohimself:Youmadeacontractonce,nowsticktoit.Andthenhethoughtsuddenlythatinbusinesstransactionsthecourtsoflawdidnotrecognizeacontractwhereinnovaluableconsiderationhadbeengivenbyonepartytotheother.Hewonderedwhatmadehimthinkofit.Thethoughtseemedirrelevant.Hedidnotpursueit.
JamesTaggartsawLillianReardendriftcasuallytowardhimattheonemomentwhenhechancedtobealoneinthedimcornerbetweenapottedpalmandawindow.Hestoppedandwaitedtoletherapproach.
