Атлант расправил плечи

           Itwon’tmakeanydifference,whetherIappointthebestsuccessorintheworld,ortheworst,ornone.Nomatterwhotakesitovernow,whethermenorweeds,itwon’tmakeanydifference."

           "Buttowalkoffandabandon...justabandon...anindustrialenterprise,asifwewereintheageoflandlessnomadsorofsavageswanderinginthejungle!"

           "Aren’twe?"Hewassmilingather,halfinmockery,halfincompassion."WhyshouldIleaveadeedorawill?Idon’twanttohelpthelooterstopretendthatprivatepropertystillexists.Iamcomplyingwiththesystemwhichtheyhaveestablished.Theydonotneedme,theysay,theyonlyneedmycoal.Letthemtakeit."

           "Thenyou’reacceptingtheirsystem?"

           "AmI?"

           Shemoaned,lookingattheexitdoor,"Whathashedonetoyou?"

           "HetoldmethatIhadtherighttoexist."

           "Ididn’tbelieveitpossiblethatinthreehoursonecouldmakeamanturnagainstfifty-twoyearsofhislife!"

           "Ifthat’swhatyouthinkhe’sdone,orifyouthinkthathe’stoldmesomeinconceivablerevelation,thenIcanseehowbewilderingitwouldappeartoyou.Butthat’snotwhathe’sdone.HemerelynamedwhatIhadlivedby,whateverymanlivesby—atandtotheextentofsuchtimeashedoesn’tspenddestroyinghimself."

           Sheknewthatquestionswerefutileandthattherewasnothingshecouldsaytohim.