Atlas Shrugged

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 Rearden looked at him for a long, still moment, then let the gold fall out of his hands.
Danneskjold's eyes did not follow it to the ground, but remained fixed on Rearden with no change of
expression. "Would you rather I were a law-abiding citizen, Mr. Rearden? If so, which law should I
abide by? Directive 10-289?"
"Ragnar Danneskjold . . ." said Rearden, as if he were seeing the whole of the past decade, as if he were
looking at the enormity of a crime spread through ten years and held within two words.
"Look more carefully, Mr. Rearden. There are only two modes of living left to us today: to be a looter
who robs disarmed victims or to be a victim who works for the benefit of his own despoilers. I did not
choose to be either."
"You chose to live by means of force, like the rest of them,"
"Yes—openly. Honestly, if you will. I do not rob men who are tied and gagged, I do not demand that
my victims help me, I do not tell them that I am acting for their own good. I stake my life in every
encounter with men, and they have a chance to match their guns and their brains against mine in fair
battle. Fair? It's I against the organized strength, the guns, the planes, the battleships of five continents. If
it's a moral judgment that you wish to pronounce, Mr. Rearden, then who is the man of higher morality: I
or Wesley Mouch?"
"I have no answer to give you," said Rearden, his voice low.
"Why should you be shocked, Mr. Rearden? I am merely complying with the system which my fellow
men have established. If they believe that force is the proper means to deal with one another, I am giving
them what they ask for. If they believe that the purpose of my life is to serve them, let them try to enforce
their creed. If they believe that my mind is their property—let them come and get it."
"But what sort of life have you chosen? To what purpose are you giving your mind?"
"To the cause of my love."
"Which is what?"
"Justice."
"Served by being a pirate?"
"By working for the day when I won't have to be a pirate any longer."
"Which day is that?"
"The day when you'll be free to make a profit on Rearden Metal."
"Oh God!" said Rearden, laughing, his voice desperate. "Is that your ambition?"
Danneskjold's face did not change. "It is."
"Do you expect to live to see that day?"