Атлант расправил плечи

           "Ididn’tmindwaiting,"shesaid."I’mgratefulthatyougavemethisappointment.Iwasextremelyanxioustospeaktoyouonamatterofurgentimportance."

           Heleanedforwardacrossthedesk,withalookofattentiveconcentration,ashealwaysdidatthementionofanimportantbusinessmatter,butshewasnotspeakingtothemansheknew,thiswasastranger,andshestopped,uncertainabouttheargumentsshehadbeenpreparedtouse.

           Helookedatherinsilence,andthenhesaid,"MissTaggart,thisissuchabeautifulday—probablythelast,thisyear.There’sathingI’vealwayswantedtodo,butneverhadtimeforit.Let’sgobacktoNewYorktogetherandtakeoneofthoseexcursionboattripsaroundtheislandofManhattan.Let’stakealastlookatthegreatestcityintheworld."

           Shesatstill,tryingtoholdhereyesfixedinordertostoptheofficefromswaying.ThiswastheKenDanaggerwhohadneverhadapersonalfriend,hadnevermarried,hadneverattendedaplayoramovie,hadneverpermittedanyonetheimpertinenceoftakinghistimeforanyconcernbutbusiness.

           "Mr.Danagger,Icameheretospeaktoyouaboutamatterofcrucialimportancetothefutureofyourbusinessandmine.Icametospeaktoyouaboutyourindictment."

           "Oh,that?Don’tworryaboutthat.Itdoesn’tmatter.I’mgoingtoretire.