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More oxford books @ www.OxfordeBook.comFore more urdu books visit www.4Urdu.com156FROM NOVELIST TO PHILOSOPHER, 1944–1957Like Barbara, Ayn had registered a shift. The next day she summonedNathan to her apartment, where she waited alone. It was a scene out ofthe best romantic fiction. After some delay, Rand became urgent anddirect. She and Nathan had fallen in love, yes? Nathan, overwhelmed,flattered, excited, confused, responded in kind. They kissed hesitantly.There would be no turning back.But this was still the founder of Objectivism, believing in rationalityabove all else. They must be honest with their spouses, Rand decided.She called them all to a meeting at her apartment. As Barbara and Franklistened incredulously, Rand’s hypnotic voice filled the room and stilledtheir protests. The spell she had cast was too strong to break now. Atmeeting’s end she and Nathan had secured what they requested: a fewhours alone each week. Their relationship would be strictly platonic,they assured their spouses. Privacy would allow them to explore theintellectual and emotional connection they could no longer pretend didnot exist.When the inevitable happened, Rand was again honest with bothBarbara and Frank. She and Nathan wished now to be lovers, sheexplained. But it would naturally be a short affair. She had no wish tohold back Nathan, twenty-five years her junior. Her explanation cameclothed in the rational philosophy she had taught them all. By givingtheir feelings full expression, Nathan and Ayn were simply acknowledgingthe nature of reality.For all her iconoclasm, Rand had a streak of cultural conventionalitydeep within. Afraid of what the outside world would say, she insisted theaffair be kept a secret. Her work and her reputation would be smearedif anyone found out, she told the others. Uncomfortable with the ideaof literally disrupting her marriage bed, Nathan proposed that theyrent a small apartment in her building, ostensibly an office, that couldbe used for their meetings. Rand refused. On the surface everythingwould continue as usual. Even members of the Collective could have noinkling of the new arrangements between the Branden and O’Connorhouseholds.The officially sanctioned yet secret affair sent all four parties spinninginto perilous emotional territory. For all the passion they shared, relationsbetween Nathan and Ayn were not smooth. Ayn was an insecure,jealous lover, constantly pushing Nathan to express his feelings. Not a