Конец вечности
Prelude to Crime
Hesaid,"Isn’titratherdisgustingthewaythesepeopleblowtheirownhorn?Whowouldbefoolenoughtobelieveaperson’sboastingsabouthisownproducts?Wouldheadmitdefects?Ishelikelytostopatanyexaggeration?"
Harlan,whosehomewhenwasmiddlingfruitfulinadvertisement,raisedtoleranteyebrowsandmerelysaid,"You’llhavetoacceptthat.It’stheirwayandweneverquarrelwiththewaysofanycultureaslongasitdoesnotseriouslyharmmankindasawhole."
ButnowHarlan’smindsnappedbacktohispresentsituationandhewasbackinthepresent,staringattheloudmouthed,brassyadvertisementsinthenewsmagazine.Heaskedhimselfinsuddenexcitement:Werethethoughtshehadjustexperiencedreallyirrelevant?OrwashetortuouslyfindingawayoutoftheblacknessandbacktoNoys?
Advertisement!Adeviceforforcingtheunwillingintoline.Diditmattertoaground-vehiclemanufacturerwhetheragivenindividualfeltanoriginalorspontaneousdesireforhisproduct?Iftheprospect(thatwastheword)couldbeartificiallypersuadedorcajoledintofeelingthatdesireandactinguponit,wouldthatnotbejustaswell?
ThenwhatdiditmatterifNoyslovedhimoutofpassionoroutofcalculation?Letthembutbetogetherlongenoughandshewouldgrowtolovehim.Hewouldmakeherlovehimand,intheend,loveandnotitsmotivationwaswhatcounted.HewishednowhehadreadsomeofthenovelsoutofTimethatFingehadmentionedscornfully.
Harlan’sfistsclenchedatasuddenthought.
