Атлант расправил плечи

           Theybothwhirledtohim.Lilliansawnothingin"hisface;Dagnysawtorture.

           "Itisn’tnecessary,Hank,"shesaid.

           "Itis—forme,"heansweredcoldly,notlookingather;hewaslookingatLillianinthemannerofacommandthatcouldnotbedisobeyed.

           Lillianstudiedhisfacewithmildastonishment,butwithoutanxietyoranger,likeapersonconfrontedbyapuzzleofnosignificance.

           "Butofcourse,"shesaidcomplaisantly,hervoicesmoothandconfidentagain."Pleaseacceptmyapology,MissTaggart,ifIgaveyoutheimpressionthatIsuspectedtheexistenceofarelationshipwhichIwouldconsiderimprobableforyouand—frommyknowledgeofhisinclinations—impossibleformyhusband."

           Sheturnedandwalkedawayindifferently,leavingthemtogether,asifindeliberateproofofherwords.

           Dagnystoodstill,hereyesclosed;shewasthinkingofthenightwhenLillianhadgivenherthebracelet.Hehadtakenhiswife’sside,then;hehadtakenhers,now.Ofthethreeofthem,shewastheonlyonewhounderstoodfullywhatthismeant.

           "Whateveristheworstyoumaywishtosaytome,youwillberight."

           Sheheardhimandopenedhereyes.Hewaslookingathercoldly,hisfaceharsh,allowingnosignofpainorapologytosuggestahopeofforgiveness.

           "Dearest,don’ttortureyourselflikethat,"shesaid."Iknewthatyou’remarried.