Атлант расправил плечи
The Aristocracy of pull
Thosedirectivesthatsomebodyissuedhereafewmonthsagoarechokingofftheentirecopperindustryofthiscountry.Andtheresultisthatthiscountrysuddenlyhastoimportmuchlargeramountsofcopper.Andwhereintheworldisthereanycopperleft—unlessit’sd’Anconiacopper?SoyouseethatIhavegoodreasontobegrateful."
"IassureyouIhadnothingtodowithit,"Taggartsaidhastily,"andbesides,thevitaleconomicpoliciesofthiscountryarenotdeterminedbyanyconsiderationssuchasyou’reintimatingor—"
"Iknowhowthey’redetermined,James.IknowthatthedealstartedwiththeboysinSantiago,becausethey’vebeenonthed’Anconiapayrollforcenturies—well,no,‘payroll’isanhonorableword,itwouldbemoreexacttosaythatd’AnconiaCopperhasbeenpayingthemprotectionmoneyforcenturies—isn’tthatwhatyourgangsterscallit?
OurboysinSantiagocallittaxes.They’vebeengettingtheircutoneverytonofd’Anconiacoppersold.Sotheyhaveavestedinteresttoseemesellasmanytonsaspossible.ButwiththeworldturningintoPeople’sStates,thisistheonlycountryleftwheremenarenotyetreducedtodiggingforrootsinforestsfortheirsustenance—sothisistheonlymarketleftonearth.TheboysinSantiagowantedtocornerthismarket.
