Атлант расправил плечи
Account Overdrawn
Steppingagainstthewind,dressedinraincoats,fursandeveningslippers,peoplehadfeltthatastormwasanintruderwithinthecity.Now,facingthegustsofsnowthatcamesweepingdownthenarrowstreets,peoplefeltindimterrorthattheywerethetemporaryintrudersandthatthewindhadtheright-of-way.
"Itwon’tmakeanydifferencetousnow,forgetit,Hank,itdoesn’tmatter,"saidDagnywhenReardentoldherthathewouldnotbeabletodelivertherail;hehadnotbeenabletofindasupplierofcopper.
"Forgetit,Hank."Hedidnotanswerher.HecouldnotforgetthefirstfailureofReardenSteel.
OntheeveningofFebruary15,aplatecrackedonarailjointandsentanengineoffthetrack,halfamilefromWinston,Colorado,onadivisionwhichwastohavebeenrelaidwiththenewrail.ThestationagentofWinstonsighedandsentforacrewwithacrane;itwasonlyoneoftheminoraccidentsthatwerehappeninginhissectioneveryotherdayorso,hewasgettingusedtoit.
Rearden,thatevening,hiscoatcollarraised,hishatslantedlowoverhiseyes,thesnowdriftsrisingtohisknees,wastrampingthroughanabandonedopen-pitcoalmine,inaforsakencornerofPennsylvania,supervisingtheloadingofpiratedcoaluponthetruckswhichhehadprovided.Nobodyownedthemine,nobodycouldaffordthecostofworkingit.
