Атлант расправил плечи
Account Overdrawn
Itwasnotuntilthepublicbegantonoticethegrowingshortage,thenthedisappearancefromthemarketofelectricirons,toasters,washingmachinesandallelectricalappliances,thatpeoplebegantoaskquestionsandtohearwhispers.Theyheardthatnoshiploadedwithd’AnconiacopperwasabletoreachaportoftheUnitedStates;itcouldnotgetpastRagnarDanneskjold.
Inthefoggywinternights,onthewaterfront,sailorswhisperedthestorythatRagnarDanneskjoldalwaysseizedthecargoesofreliefvessels,butnevertouchedthecopper:hesankthed’Anconiashipswiththeirloads;heletthecrewsescapeinlifeboats,butthecopperwenttothebottomoftheocean.Theywhispereditasadarklegendbeyondmen’spowertoexplain;nobodycouldfindareasonwhyDanneskjolddidnotchoosetotakethecopper.
InthesecondweekofFebruary,forthepurposeofconservingcopperwireandelectricpower,adirectiveforbadetherunningofelevatorsabovethetwenty-fifthfloor.Theupperfloorsofthebuildingshadtobevacated,andpartitionsofunpaintedboardswentuptocutoffthestairways.Byspecialpermit,exceptionsweregranted—onthegroundsof"essentialneed"—toafewofthelargerbusinessenterprisesandthemorefashionablehotels.Thetopsofthecitieswerecutdown.
TheinhabitantsofNewYorkhadneverhadtobeawareoftheweather.Stormshadbeenonlyanuisancethatslowedthetrafficandmadepuddlesinthedoorwaysofbrightlylightedshops.
