Атлант расправил плечи
The Top and the Bottom
Tolookatthatstatuewhenevershecrossedtheconcourse,wastheonlyformofprayersheknew.
NathanielTaggarthadbeenapennilessadventurerwhohadcomefromsomewhereinNewEnglandandbuiltarailroadacrossacontinent,inthedaysofthefirststeelrails.Hisrailroadstillstood;hisbattletobuildithaddissolvedintoalegend,becausepeoplepreferrednottounderstanditortobelieveitpossible.
Hewasamanwhohadneveracceptedthecreedthatothershadtherighttostophim.Hesethisgoalandmovedtowardit,hiswayasstraightasoneofhisrails.Heneversoughtanyloans,bonds,subsidies,landgrantsorlegislativefavorsfromthegovernment.Heobtainedmoneyfromthemenwhoownedit,goingfromdoortodoor—fromthemahoganydoorsofbankerstotheclapboarddoorsoflonelyfarmhouses.Henevertalkedaboutthepublicgood.Hemerelytoldpeoplethattheywouldmakebigprofitsonhisrailroad,hetoldthemwhyheexpectedtheprofitsandhegavehisreasons.Hehadgoodreasons.Throughallthegenerationsthatfollowed,TaggartTranscontinentalwasoneofthefewrailroadsthatneverwentbankruptandtheonlyonewhosecontrollingstockremainedinthehandsofthefounder’sdescendants.
Inhislifetime,thename"NatTaggart"wasnotfamous,butnotorious;itwasrepeated,notinhomage,butinresentfulcuriosity;andifanyoneadmiredhim,itwasasoneadmiresasuccessfulbandit.
