Атлант расправил плечи
Account Overdrawn
Acrustedsnowcoveredtheground,belongingneithertowinternortospring.Anetofmoisturehungintheair,andshefeltanicypin-prickonherfaceonceinawhile,whichwasneitheraraindropnorasnowflake.
Theweatherseemedafraidtotakeastandandclungnoncommittallytosomesortofroad’smiddle;BoardofDirectors’weather,shethought.
ThelightseemeddrainedandshecouldnottellwhetherthiswastheafternoonortheeveningofMarch31.ButshewasverycertainthatitwasMarch31;thatwasacertaintynottobeescaped.
ShehadcometoColoradowithHankRearden,tobuywhatevermachinerycouldstillbefoundintheclosedfactories.Ithadbeenlikeahurriedsearchthroughthesinkinghulkofagreatshipbeforeitwastovanishoutofreach.Theycouldhavegiventhetasktoemployees,buttheyhadcome,bothpromptedbythesameunconfessedmotive:theycouldnotresistthedesiretoattendtherunofthelasttrain,asonecannotresistthedesiretogivealastsalutebyattendingafuneral,evenwhileknowingthatitisonlyanactofself-torture.
Theyhadbeenbuyingmachineryfromdoubtfulownersinsalesofdubiouslegality,sincenobodycouldtellwhohadtherighttodisposeofthegreat,deadproperties,andnobodywouldcometochallengethetransactions.TheyhadboughteverythingthatcouldbemovedfromtheguttedplantofNielsenMotors.TedNielsenhadquitandvanished,aweekaftertheannouncementthattheLinewastobeclosed.
