Атлант расправил плечи
The Top and the Bottom
TheyallseemedtoknowwhyLarkindidnotansweratonce;hisshouldersseemedtoshrinkdown,closertothetable."Ifeverybodycouldpullforacommonpurpose,thennobodywouldhavetobehurt!"hecriedsuddenly,inatoneofincongruousdespair;hesawTaggartwatchinghimandadded,pleading,"Iwishwedidn’thavetohurtanybody."
"Thatisananti-socialattitude,"drawledTaggart."Peoplewhoareafraidtosacrificesomebodyhavenobusinesstalkingaboutacommonpurpose."
"ButI’mastudentofhistory,"saidLarkinhastily."Irecognizehistoricalnecessity."
"Good,"saidTaggart.
"Ican’tbeexpectedtobuckthetrendofthewholeworld,canI?"Larkinseemedtoplead,butthepleawasnotaddressedtoanyone."CanI?"
"Youcan‘t,Mr.Larkin,"saidWesleyMouch."YouandIarenottobeblamed,ifwe—"
Larkinjerkedhisheadaway;itwasalmostashudder;hecouldnotbeartolookatMouch.
"DidyouhaveagoodtimeinMexico,Orren?"askedTaggart,hisvoicesuddenlyloudandcasual.Allofthemseemedtoknowthatthepurposeoftheirmeetingwasaccomplishedandwhatevertheyhadcomeheretounderstandwasunderstood.
"Wonderfulplace,Mexico,"Boyleansweredcheerfully."Verystimulatingandthought-provoking.Theirfoodrationsaresomethingawful,though.Igotsick.Butthey’reworkingmightyhardtoputtheircountryonitsfeet."
"Howarethingsgoingdownthere?"
"Prettysplendid,itseemstome,prettysplendid.Rightatthemoment,however,they’re...
