Атлант расправил плечи

           Rearden?"

           "IwishIcouldpermitmyselftolikeyouasmuchasIdo."

           "I’dgive—"Franciscostopped;inexplicably,Reardensawthelookofanemotionwhichhecouldnotdefine,yetfeltcertaintobepain;hesawFrancisco’sfirstmomentofhesitation."Mr.Rearden,doyouownanyd’AnconiaCopperstock?"

           Reardenlookedathim,bewildered."No."

           "Someday,you’llknowwhattreasonI’mcommittingrightnow,but...Don’teverbuyanyd’AnconiaCopperstock.Don’teverdealwithd’AnconiaCopperinanyway."

           "Why?"

           "Whenyou’lllearnthefullreason,you’llknowwhetherthere’severbeenanything—oranyone—thatmeantadamntome,and...andhowmuchhedidmean."

           Reardenfrowned:hehadrememberedsomething."Iwouldn’tdealwithyourcompany.Didn’tyoucallthemthemenofthedoublestandard?Aren’tyouoneofthelooterswhoisgrowingrichrightnowbymeansofdirectives?"

           Inexplicably,thewordsdidnothitFranciscoasaninsult,butclearedhisfacebackintohislookofassurance."DidyouthinkthatitwasIwhowheedledthosedirectivesoutoftherobber-planners?"

           "Ifnot,thenwhodidit?"

           "Myhitchhikers."

           "Withoutyourconsent?"

           "Withoutmyknowledge.