Атлант расправил плечи
The Sanction of the Victim
"
"There’sagreatdealthatIdon’tunderstandaboutyou,butI’mcertainofonething:thatyou’renotafriendofthelooters."
"I’mnot."TherewasahintofamusementinFrancisco’sface,asatanunderstatement.
"SoIknowthatyouwon’tbetraymeifItellyouthatI’mgoingtocontinuesellingReardenMetaltocustomersofmyownchoiceinanyamountIwish,wheneverIseeachancetodoit.Rightnow,I’mgettingreadytopouranordertwentytimesthesizeoftheonetheytriedmefor."
Sittingonthearmofachair,afewfeetaway,Franciscoleanedforwardtolookathimsilently,frowning,foralongmoment,"Doyouthinkthatyou’refightingthembydoingit?"heasked.
"Well,whatwouldyoucallit?Co-operating?"
"YouwerewillingtoworkandproduceReardenMetalforthematthepriceoflosingyourprofits,losingyourfriends,enrichingstraybastardswhohadthepulltorobyou,andtakingtheirabusefortheprivilegeofkeepingthemalive.Nowyou’rewillingtodoitatthepriceofacceptingthepositionofacriminalandtheriskofbeingthrowninjailatanymoment—forthesakeofkeepinginexistenceasystemwhichcanbekeptgoingonlybyitsvictims,onlybythebreakingofitsownlaws.
