Атлант расправил плечи
Account Overdrawn
Hisworkersdesertedhim,somebecausetheywerescared,somebecausetheywerebribedbythesteamboatpeople,andmostofthembecausehehadhadnomoneytopaythemforweeks.Throughoutthatday,hekeptreceivingwordthatmenwhohadsubscribedtobuythestockoftheTaggartTranscontinentalRailroadwerecancellingtheirsubscriptions,oneafteranother.Towardevening,acommittee,representingtwobanksthatwerehislasthopeofsupport,cametoseehim.Itwasrightthere,ontheconstructionsitebytheriver,intheoldrailwaycoachwherehelived,withthedooropentotheviewoftheblackenedruin,withthewoodenremnantsstillsmokingoverthetwistedsteel.Hehadnegotiatedaloanfromthosebanks,butthecontracthadnotbeensigned.Thecommitteetoldhimthathewouldhavetogiveuphisbridge,becausehewascertaintolosethesuit,andthebridgewouldbeorderedtorndownbythetimehecompletedit.Ifhewaswillingtogiveitup,theysaid,andtoferryhispassengersacrosstheriveronbarges,asotherrailroadsweredoing,thecontractwouldstandandhewouldgetthemoneytocontinuehislinewestontheothershore;ifnot,thentheloanwasoff.Whatwashisanswer?—theyasked.Hedidnotsayaword,hepickedupthecontract,toreitacross,handedittothemandwalkedout.Hewalkedtothebridge,alongthespans,downtothelastgirder.Heknelt,hepickedupthetoolshismenhadleftandhestartedtoclearthecharredwreckageawayfromthesteelstructure.
