The Fountainhead

Keating rises in Francon's firm by duplicitous means. He manipulates fellow employees, fawns over his superiors, and helps cause the death of Lucius Heyer, Francon's elderly partner, who stands in his way. Heyer, although not an architect, is a partner in Francon's firm for one reason: He comes from a wealthy, old-money background and is connected to the socially elite families who form the nucleus of Francon's client base. Because he is elderly, senile, and lonely, Heyer is generally treated with scorn at Francon's office. But Keating, realizing the value of a partner's patronage, fawns over the old man from his first day in the office. Because the only passion in Heyer's life is his porcelain collection, Keating studies the subject as a means of ingratiating himself with Francon's partner. After several years of meteoric rise, Keating is the firm's chief designer and ready for more. He looks to be Francon's partner, but Heyer blocks his path. Heyer has suffered a stroke and the doctors fear for his life. But his partnership in the firm gives his life meaning, and he stubbornly refuses to retire. Keating has reasons to want Heyer out of his way immediately. Francon believes in Keating and is confident that he will win the Cosmo-Slotnick competition. But despite the brilliance of Roark's plan, Keating believes he has no chance. He knows that the classical elements he has added to the design clash with the modernist nature of Roark's original; Keating is sure that his final result is a mongrelized mixture of contradictory styles, with no chance of winning. He must gain the partnership in Francon's firm before he loses the competition, while he still has Francon's trust. Keating, therefore, looks for a weapon he can use against Heyer. He discovers the slightest possibility of financial wrongdoing on Heyer's part, evidence too flimsy to stand up in court but perhaps sufficient in dealing with a sick old man. In private, he berates Heyer, verbally abusing him and demanding that he retire. The senile Heyer is puzzled and frightened that this friendly young man is screaming at him. The strain for Heyer is too much. He suffers the second stroke the doctors had feared and dies immediately. Keating, who calls for assistance in vain, receives sympathy at Francon's office, where he is perceived as the only friend Heyer had. He also receives a large inheritance from Heyer, who had no family. As the novel's first part concludes, Keating gains both the partnership he coveted and the wealth of Lucius Heyer's estate. He is, by conventional standards, an extremely successful man.