Атлант расправил плечи
The Theme
TheTaggartTranscontinentalRailroad,thenetworkofredlinesslashingthefadedbodyofthecountryfromNewYorktoSanFrancisco,lookedlikeasystemofbloodvessels. Itlookedasifonce,longago,thebloodhadshotdownthemainarteryand,underthepressureofitsownoverabundance,hadbranchedoutatrandompoints,runningalloverthecountry. OneredstreaktwisteditswayfromCheyenne,Wyoming,downtoElPaso,Texas—theRioNorteLineofTaggartTranscontinental. NewtracinghadbeenaddedrecentlyandtheredstreakhadbeenextendedsouthbeyondElPaso—butEddieWillersturnedawayhastilywhenhiseyesreachedthatpoint.
HelookedatJamesTaggartandsaid, "It’stheRioNorteLine." HenoticedTaggart’sglancemovingdowntoacornerofthedesk."We’vehadanotherwreck."
"Railroadaccidentshappeneveryday. Didyouhavetobothermeaboutthat?"
"YouknowwhatI’msaying,Jim. TheRioNorteisdonefor.Thattrackisshot. Downthewholeline."
"Wearegettinganewtrack."
EddieWillerscontinuedasiftherehadbeennoanswer: "Thattrackisshot. It’snousetryingtoruntrainsdownthere. Peoplearegivinguptryingtousethem."
"Thereisnotarailroadinthecountry,itseemstome,thatdoesn’thaveafewbranchesrunningatadeficit. We’renottheonlyones. It’sanationalcondition—atemporarynationalcondition."
Eddiestoodlookingathimsilently. WhatTaggartdislikedaboutEddieWillerswasthishabitoflookingstraightintopeople’seyes.
