Атлант расправил плечи
Account Overdrawn
Peoplewrenchedtheirpenniesoutofthequicksandsoftheirfoodandheatbudgets,andwentwithoutmealsinordertocrowdintomovietheaters,inordertoescapeforafewhoursthestateofanimalsreducedtothesingleconcernofterrorovertheircrudestneeds.InJanuary,allmovietheaters,nightclubsandbowlingalleyswereclosedbyorderofWesleyMouch,forthepurposeofconservingfuel."Pleasureisnotanessentialofexistence,"wroteBertramScudder.
"Youmustlearntotakeaphilosophicalattitude,"saidDr.SimonPritchetttoayounggirlstudentwhobrokedownintosudden,hystericalsobsinthemiddleofalecture.ShehadjustreturnedfromavolunteerreliefexpeditiontoasettlementonLakeSuperior;shehadseenamotherholdingthebodyofagrownsonwhohaddiedofhunger.
"Therearenoabsolutes,"saidDr.Pritchett."Realityisonlyanillusion.
Howdoesthatwomanknowthathersonisdead?Howdoessheknowthatheeverexisted?"
Peoplewithpleadingeyesanddesperatefacescrowdedintotentswhereevangelistscriedintriumphantgloatingthatmanwasunabletocopewithnature,thathissciencewasafraud,thathismindwasafailure,thathewasreapingpunishmentforthesinofpride,forhisconfidenceinhisownintellect—andthatonlyfaithinthepowerofmysticsecretscouldprotecthimfromthefissureofarailorfromtheblowoutofthelasttireonhislasttruck.
