Атлант расправил плечи
White Blackmail
Iwantyoutolookatmeandtolearnthefateofthemanwhotriedtobuildatowertothesky,orthemanwhowantedtoreachthesunonwingsmadeofwax—oryou,themanwhowantedtoholdhimselfasperfect!"
Somewhereoutsideofhimandapart,asifhewerereadingitinabrainnothisown,heobservedthethoughtthattherewassomeflawintheschemeofthepunishmentshewantedhimtobear,somethingwrongbyitsownterms,asidefromitsproprietyorjustice,somepracticalmiscalculationthatwoulddemolishitallifdiscovered.Hedidnotattempttodiscoverit.Thethoughtwentbyasamoment’snotation,madeincoldcuriosity,tobebroughtbackinsomedistantfuture.Therewasnothingwithinhimnowwithwhichtofeelinterestortorespond.
HisownbrainwasnumbwiththeefforttoholdthelastofhissenseofjusticeagainstsooverwhelmingatideofrevulsionthatitswampedLillianoutofhumanform,pastallhispleastohimselfthathehadnorighttofeelit.Ifshewasloathsome,hethought,itwashewhohadbroughthertoit;thiswasherwayoftakingpain—noonecouldprescribetheformofahumanbeing’sattempttobearsuffering—noonecouldblame—aboveall,nothe,whohadcausedit.Buthesawnoevidenceofpaininhermanner.Thenperhapstheuglinesswastheonlymeansshecouldsummontohideit,hethought.Thenhethoughtofnothingexceptofwithstandingtherevulsion,forthelengthofthenextmomentandofthenext.
