Атлант расправил плечи

           "

           Shestood,reluctanttoleave,lookingatKenDanaggerinthemannerofalastlookatonedepartingfortherealmofnoreturn.

           Heguessedit,smiledandextendedhishand."Iwon’tsaygoodbye,"hesaid,"becauseI’llseeyouagaininthenottoodistantfuture."

           "Oh,"shesaideagerly,holdinghishandclaspedacrossthedesk,"areyougoingtoreturn?"

           "No.You’regoingtojoinme."

           Therewasonlyafaintredbreathabovethestructuresinthedarkness,asifthemillswereasleepbutalive,withtheevenbreathingofthefurnacesandthedistantheartbeatsoftheconveyorbeltstoshowit.

           Reardenstoodatthewindowofhisoffice,hishandpressedtothepane;intheperspectiveofdistance,hishandcoveredhalfamileofstructures,asifheweretryingtoholdthem.

           Hewaslookingatalongwallofverticalstrips,whichwasthebatteryofcokeovens.Anarrowdoorslidopenwithabriefgaspofflame,andasheetofred-glowingcokecameslidingoutsmoothly,likeasliceofbreadfromthesideofagianttoaster.Itheldstillforaninstant,thenanangularcrackshotthroughthesliceanditcrumbledintoagondolawaitingontherailsbelow.

           Danaggercoal,hethought.Theseweretheonlywordsinhismind.

           Therestwasafeelingofloneliness,sovastthatevenitsownpainseemedswallowedinanenormousvoid.