Атлант расправил плечи
The Sanction of the Victim
Foramonthinadvance,thepeoplewhofilledthecourtroomhadbeentoldbythepressthattheywouldseethemanwhowasagreedyenemyofsociety;buttheyhadcometoseethemanwhohadinventedReardenMetal.
Hestoodup,whenthejudgescalleduponhimtodoso.Heworeagraysuit,hehadpaleblueeyesandblondhair;itwasnotthecolorsthatmadehisfigureseemicilyimplacable,itwasthefactthatthesuithadanexpensivesimplicityseldomflauntedthesedays,thatitbelongedinthesternlyluxuriousofficeofarichcorporation,thathisbearingcamefromacivilizederaandclashedwiththeplacearoundhim.
Thecrowdknewfromthenewspapersthatherepresentedtheevilofruthlesswealth;and—astheypraisedthevirtueofchastity,thenrantoseeanymoviethatdisplayedahalf-nakedfemaleonitsposters—sotheycametoseehim;evil,atleast,didnothavethestalehopelessnessofabromidewhichnonebelievedandnonedaredtochallenge.Theylookedathimwithoutadmiration—admirationwasafeelingtheyhadlostthecapacitytoexperience,longago;theylookedwithcuriosityandwithadimsenseofdefianceagainstthosewhohadtoldthemthatitwastheirdutytohatehim.
Afewyearsago,theywouldhavejeeredathisairofself-confidentwealth.
