Атлант расправил плечи
The Sanction of the Victim
"
IfthatwhichReardenfeltcouldhavegonedirectlyintowords,pastthebarrierofhiswill,hewouldhavecried:Don’tletmedown—Ineedyou—Iamfightingallofthem,Ihavefoughttomylimitandamcondemnedtofightbeyondit—and,assoleammunitionpossibletome,IneedtheknowledgeofonesinglemanwhomIcantrust,respectandadmire.
Instead,hesaidcalmly,verysimply—andtheonlynoteofapersonalbondbetweenthemwasthattoneofsinceritywhichcomeswithadirect,unqualifiedlyrationalstatementandimpliesthesamehonestyofmindinthelistener—"Youknow,Ithinkthattheonlyrealmoralcrimethatonemancancommitagainstanotheristheattempttocreate,byhiswordsoractions,animpressionofthecontradictory,theimpossible,theirrational,andthusshaketheconceptofrationalityinhisvictim."
"That’strue."
"IfIsaythatthatisthedilemmayou’veputmein,wouldyouhelpmebyansweringapersonalquestion?"
"Iwilltry."
"Idon’thavetotellyou—Ithinkyouknowit—thatyouarethemanofthehighestmindIhaveevermet.Iamcomingtoaccept,notasright,butatleastaspossible,thefactthatyourefusetoexerciseyourgreatabilityintheworldoftoday.Butwhatamandoesoutofdespair,isnotnecessarilyakeytohischaracter.Ihavealwaysthoughtthattherealkeyisinthatwhichheseeksforhisenjoyment.
