Атлант расправил плечи
The Sanction of the Victim
Wewilltanglethebookkeepinginsuchawaythatifthethingshouldeverblowup,nobodywillbeabletopinanythingonanybody,exceptonme.TheymightsuspectthatIbribedsomeoneonyourstaff,ortheymightsuspectthatyouwereinonit,buttheywon’tbeabletoproveit.Iwantyoutogivemeyourwordthatyouwillneveradmitit,nomatterwhathappens.It’smyMetal,andifthereareanychancestotake,it’sIwho’lltakethem.IhavebeenplanningthisfromthedayIreceivedyourorder.Ihaveorderedthecopperforit,fromasourcewhichwillnotbetrayme.Ididnotintendtotellyouaboutittilllater,butIchangedmymind.Iwantyoutoknowittonight—becauseIamgoingontrialtomorrowforthesamekindofcrime."
Shehadlistenedwithoutmoving.Athislastsentence,hesawafaintcontractionofhercheeksandlips;itwasnotquiteasmile,butitgavehimherwholeanswer:pain,admiration,understanding.
Thenhesawhereyesbecomingsofter,morepainfully,dangerouslyalive—hetookherwrist,asifthetightgraspofhisfingersandtheseverityofhisglanceweretogiveherthesupportsheneeded—andhesaidsternly,"Don’tthankme—thisisnotafavor—Iamdoingitinordertobeabletobearmywork,orelseI’llbreaklikeKenDanagger."
Shewhispered,"Allright,Hank,Iwon’tthankyou,"thetoneofhervoiceandthelookofhereyesmakingitaliebythetimeitwasuttered.
Hesmiled."GivemethewordIasked.
