Атлант расправил плечи
White Blackmail
Throughtheswirlingcoilsofsteamaroundhim,heobservedthatitwastheoldermenwhohadrushedfromalloverthemillstofightthebreak-outandnowstoodinline,beinggivenfirstaidbythemedicalstaff.Hewonderedwhatwashappeningtotheyoungmenofthecountry.Butthewonderwasswallowedbythesightofthecollegeboy’sface,whichhecouldnotbeartosee,byawaveofcontempt,bythewordlessthoughtthatifthiswastheenemy,therewasnothingtofear.Allthesethingscametohimandvanishedintheouterdarkness;thesightblottingthemoutwasFranciscod’Anconia,HesawFranciscogivingorderstothemenaroundhim.Theydidnotknowwhohewasorwherehecamefrom,buttheylistened:theyknewhewasamanwhoknewhisjob.Franciscobrokeoffinthemiddleofasentence,seeingReardenapproachandlisten,andsaid,laughing,"Oh,Ibegyourpardon!"Reardensaid,"Gorightahead.It’sallcorrect,sofar."
Theysaidnothingtoeachotherwhentheywalkedtogetherthroughthedarkness,ontheirwaybacktotheoffice.Reardenfeltanexultantlaughterswellingwithinhim,hefeltthathewanted,inhisturn,towinkatFranciscolikeafellowconspiratorwhohadlearnedasecretFranciscowouldnotacknowledge.Heglancedathisfaceonceinawhile,butFranciscowouldnotlookathim.
Afterawhile,Franciscosaid,"Yousavedmylife."The"thankyou"wasinthewayhesaidit.
Reardenchuckled."Yousavedmyfurnace.
