Атлант расправил плечи

           "Pull?Why?"

           "Whatsortofschedulearewerunningdownthereandwhatkindoftrains?"

           Shelaughed;thesoundwasgayandalittleweary."Youreallyoughttoreadthereportssenttothepresident’soffice,Jim,onceinawhile."

           "Whatdoyoumean?"

           "We’vebeenrunningthatscheduleandthosetrainsontheSanSebastiánforthelastthreemonths."

           "Onepassengertrainaday?"

           "—inthemorning.Andonefreighttraineveryothernight."

           "GoodGod!Onanimportantbranchlikethat?"

           "Theimportantbranchcan’tpayevenforthosetwotrains."

           "ButtheMexicanpeopleexpectrealservicefromus!"

           "I’msuretheydo."

           "Theyneedtrains!"

           "Forwhat?"

           "For...Tohelpthemdeveloplocalindustries.Howdoyouexpectthemtodevelopifwedon’tgivethemtransportation?"

           "Idon’texpectthemtodevelop."

           "That’sjustyourpersonalopinion.Idon’tseewhatrightyouhadtotakeituponyourselftocutourschedules.Why,thecoppertrafficalonewillpayforeverything."

           "When?"

           Helookedather;hisfaceassumedthesatisfactionofapersonabouttouttersomethingthathasthepowertohurt."Youdon’tdoubtthesuccessofthosecoppermines,doyou?—whenit’sFranciscod‘Anconiawho’srunningthem?"Hestressedthename,watchingher.

           Shesaid,"Hemaybeyourfriend,but—"

           "Myfriend?Ithoughthewasyours."

           Shesaidsteadily,"Notforthelasttenyears."

           "That’stoobad,isn’tit?Still,he’soneofthesmartestoperatorsonearth.