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== The Defection ==

== The Defection ==

Shortly after the arrest, Dagny heard from Francisco. He gave her the telephone number of a direct line that would reach him, and asked her to call him the moment she had reason to believe that John Galt was in danger of his life. (That Dagny really was the sole "agent on the ground" that Francisco had in [[New York City]] at the time is unlikely; more likely, Francisco offered Dagny this opportunity to participate as his spy as a means by which to complete her recruitment.)

Shortly after the arrest, Dagny heard from Francisco. He gave her the telephone number of a direct line that would reach him, and asked her to call him the moment she had reason to believe that John Galt was in danger of his life.

Dagny would not see John Galt again until much later, when Mr. Thompson announced the inauguration of the "John Galt Plan for Peace and Prosperity." Dagny suspected that John Galt would never go along with such a plan, but she still attended the broadcast where the Plan would be announced. Sure enough, when John Galt's turn came to speak, he moved rapidly enough to reveal that someone was pointing a gun at him. Then he gripped the lectern with both hands and said, "Get...out of my way." Dagny covered her mouth to stop people from seeing that she was ready to laugh out loud. No one paid her any heed, though; they were too busy smashing and sweeping down the microphones and cameras.

 

 

Dagny would not see John Galt again until much later, when Mr. Thompson announced the inauguration of the "John Galt Plan for Peace and Prosperity." Dagny suspected that John Galt would never go along with such a plan, but she still attended the broadcast where the Plan would be announced. Sure enough, when John Galt's turn came to speak, he moved rapidly enough to reveal that someone was pointing a gun at him. Then he gripped the lectern with both hands and said, {{cquote|Get...out of my way.}}

 

Dagny covered her mouth to stop people from seeing that she was ready to laugh out loud. No one paid her any heed, though; they were too busy smashing and sweeping down the microphones and cameras.

Dagny remained at the Wayne-Falkland long enough to overhear the Washington men talk about their next plans. Most of these men wanted to do nothing but cry. Then Floyd Ferris proposed putting John Galt to torture at a secret installation of the State Science Institute. Mr. Thompson helplessly said, "I can't help it. Do whatever you want."

Dagny remained at the Wayne-Falkland long enough to overhear the Washington men talk about their next plans. Most of these men wanted to do nothing but cry. Then Floyd Ferris proposed putting John Galt to torture at a secret installation of the State Science Institute. Mr. Thompson helplessly said, "I can't help it. Do whatever you want."

This was enough for Dagny, who managed to walk away unnoticed. She called Francisco and gave him all the intelligence she had. Then she went straight to her apartment and packed a bag, and then went to the Terminal to recover two pieces of jewelry that she would take with her: the bracelet of Rearden Metal that she had bought at that long-ago anniversary party, and a gold five-dollar piece that was part of her wages as a cook and maid in John Galt's house in Galt's Gulch.

This was enough for Dagny, who managed to walk away, not exactly unnoticed, but certainly unsuspected. She ran down the street to a public telephone booth (they still had those in the time of the novel's setting). She called Francisco and gave him all the intelligence she had. Then she went straight to her apartment, changed out of the formal clothes she had been wearing, and packed two bags. In one of them she placed the bracelet of Rearden Metal that she had earned in the outer world, and a five-dollar gold piece she had earned in the valley.

While she was gathering these items, an employee rushed in to report that the [[Taggart Bridge]] over the [[Mississippi River]] had been destroyed in one second, and with it everything within a one-hundred-mile radius of the [[Project X]] installation, apparently by a malfunction (or so the employee half understood) of the Xylophone. As she had when she had heard about the [[Taggart Tunnel]] disaster, she thought first about taking command and perhaps commissioning some kind of ferry service across the Mississippi. But this time she forced herself to put down the telephone that she had snatched up almost by instinct, and declared that this time, even she did not know what to do.

She then went to the Terminal to recover some unnamed documents, a portrait of Nat Taggart, and a map of the railroad. While she was gathering these items, an employee rushed in to report that the [[Taggart Bridge]] over the [[Mississippi River]] had been destroyed in one second, and with it everything within a one-hundred-mile radius of the [[Project X]] installation, apparently by a malfunction (or so the employee half understood) of the Xylophone. As she had when she had heard about the [[Taggart Tunnel]] disaster, she thought first about taking command and perhaps commissioning some kind of ferry service across the Mississippi. But this time she forced herself to put down the telephone that she had snatched up almost by instinct, and declared that this time, even she did not know what to do.

As soon as she was left alone, she left the Terminal for the last time. She stopped briefly at the plinth of the statue of Nathaniel Taggart that commanded the courtyard. Using a lipstick, she drew a dollar sign at the foot of the statue in a final salute. Francisco d'Anconia met her there, and she raised her right hand and swore the oath that John Galt had written thirteen years before:{{cquote|I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.}}

As soon as she was left alone, she left the Terminal for the last time. She stopped briefly at the plinth of the statue of Nathaniel Taggart that commanded the courtyard. Using a lipstick, she drew a dollar sign at the foot of the statue in a final salute. Francisco d'Anconia met her there, and she raised her right hand and swore the oath that John Galt had written thirteen years before:{{cquote|I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.}}