Changes

Dagny is asked to speak at a special radio show to celebrate the "generosity" shown by Rearden when he signed the release of Rearden Metal into the public domain. (Signature or no, no one else dares attempt to make Rearden Metal without Rearden, for fear that Ragnar Danneskjold will blow up their furnaces as he did Orren Boyle's furnaces.) Dagny shocks her audience and the engineers by telling them the real reason for Rearden's action: that she had been his mistress, and that the governmental authorities had used that fact as blackmail. Rearden, noting her use of the pluperfect tense, acknowledges that he has lost her affections to another man, and is astonished to find that that other man is the mysterious John Galt.

Dagny is asked to speak at a special radio show to celebrate the "generosity" shown by Rearden when he signed the release of Rearden Metal into the public domain. (Signature or no, no one else dares attempt to make Rearden Metal without Rearden, for fear that Ragnar Danneskjold will blow up their furnaces as he did Orren Boyle's furnaces.) Dagny shocks her audience and the engineers by telling them the real reason for Rearden's action: that she had been his mistress, and that the governmental authorities had used that fact as blackmail. Rearden, noting her use of the pluperfect tense, acknowledges that he has lost her affections to another man, and is astonished to find that that other man is the mysterious John Galt.

Toward the end of summer, the Argentine government announces its intention to nationalize the D'Anconia Copper company. The legislative session for passing the nationalization act is set for September 2. But as the speaker of the Argentine parliament strikes his gavel, an explosion destroys the D'Anconia docks. The Argentines later find that they have nationalized a pile of junk, because Francisco d'Anconia blew everything up on the last second that he actually owned it. To boast of his act, Francisco alters the message on the scrolling calendar display in New York City, to read:{{cquote|Brother, you asked for it!}} That message is signed by all his names in full.

Toward the end of summer, the Chilean government announces its intention to nationalize the D'Anconia Copper company. The legislative session for passing the nationalization act is set for September 2. But as the speaker of the Chilean parliament strikes his gavel, an explosion destroys the D'Anconia docks. The Chileans later find that they have nationalized a pile of junk, because Francisco d'Anconia blew everything up on the last second that he actually owned it. To boast of his act, Francisco alters the message on the scrolling calendar display in New York City, to read:{{cquote|Brother, you asked for it!}} He signs that message with all his names in full.

Throughout September and October, three crippling disasters strike the country, usually in areas that Dagny has just managed to save rail service to. Then at last the Terminal shuts down when the signal interlocking system fails. Dagny organizes a lantern brigade to have trains moved in and out. Then, to her shock, she discovers John Galt among the unskilled labor force. After she finishes giving her orders, she rushes to an abandoned tunnel. Galt follows, and the two of them finally come together. Galt reveals that he has spied on her for ten years, that he went to work for Taggart Transcontinental as a track walker after he quit the Twentieth Century Motor Company, that he knows that he has now placed his life in jeopardy by letting Dagny know that he is that close to her, and that when the time comes for her to quit, she should draw a dollar sign in chalk on the plinth of the statue of Nathaniel Taggart that stands in the Terminal concourse, and he will come for her at her apartment. She is not, of course, prepared to do this. Yet.

Throughout September and October, three crippling disasters strike the country, usually in areas that Dagny has just managed to save rail service to. Then at last the Terminal shuts down when the signal interlocking system fails. Dagny organizes a lantern brigade to move trains in and out. Then, to her shock, she discovers John Galt among the unskilled labor force. After she finishes giving her orders, she rushes to an abandoned tunnel. Galt follows, and the two of them finally come together. Galt reveals that he has spied on her for ten years, that he went to work for Taggart Transcontinental as a track walker after he quit the Twentieth Century Motor Company, that he knows that he has now placed his life in jeopardy by letting Dagny know that he is that close to her, and that when the time comes for her to quit, she should draw a dollar sign in chalk on the plinth of the statue of Nathaniel Taggart that stands in the Terminal concourse, and he will come for her at her apartment. She is not, of course, prepared to do this. Yet.

In November, the government attempts to persuade Rearden to sign on to the Steel Unification Plan, similar to the Railroad Unification Plan. Rearden refuses and returns to his mills. There he finds a riot in progress. The "Wet Nurse," shot in the back and dying, tells him that the riot is staged and is being carried out by infiltrators who were never really Rearden's employees. Rearden's regular workers, led by the recently hired furnace foreman, beat back the rioters and stop some of them from killing Rearden. The furnace foreman is in fact Francisco d'Anconia, who now persuades Rearden to quit business. When he quits, several other regulars quit with him.

In November, the government attempts to persuade Rearden to sign on to the Steel Unification Plan, similar to the Railroad Unification Plan. Rearden refuses and returns to his mills. There he finds a riot in progress. The "Wet Nurse," shot in the back and dying, tells him that the riot is staged and is being carried out by infiltrators who were never really Rearden's employees. Rearden's regular workers, led by the recently hired furnace foreman, beat back the rioters and stop some of them from killing Rearden. The furnace foreman is in fact Francisco d'Anconia, who now persuades Rearden to quit business. When he quits, several other regulars quit with him.