Атлант расправил плечи

           "Ifeltcertainthatyouweren’tgoingtoreturnhere,lastnight.Anditwasn’tdifficultorexpensiveatalltofindoutfromahotelemployee,thismorning,thatyouhaven’tspentanightintheseroomsinthepastyear."

           Hesaidnothing.

           "Themanofstainlesssteel!"Shelaughed."Themanofachievementandhonorwho’ssomuchbetterthantherestofus!Doesshedanceinthechorusorissheamanicuristinanexclusivebarbershoppatronizedbymillionaires?"

           Heremainedsilent.

           "Whoisshe,Henry?"

           "Iwon’tanswerthat."

           "Iwanttoknow."

           "You’renotgoingto."

           "Don’tyouthinkit’sridiculous,yourplayingthepartofagentlemanwho’sprotectingthelady’sname—orofanysortofgentleman,fromnowon?Whoisshe?"

           "IsaidIwon’tanswer."

           Sheshrugged."Isupposeitmakesnodifference.There’sonlyonestandardtypefortheonestandardpurpose.I’vealwaysknownthatunderthatasceticlookofyoursyouwereaplain,crudesensualistwhosoughtnothingfromawomanexceptananimalsatisfactionwhichIpridemyselfonnothavinggivenyou.Iknewthatyourvauntedsenseofhonorwouldcollapsesomedayandyouwouldbedrawntothelowest,cheapesttypeoffemale,justlikeanyothercheatinghusband."

           Shechuckled.