Конец вечности
Crime
Itwasafoolishproblemtobeconcernedwith,butnowthattheexaltationofactualflightwasdonewith,hefoundhimselfaloneinaregionofEternitywherenohumanfootstepshadwanderedandhedidnotlikeit.Hewasashamed,doublyashamedsinceNoyswaswitness,atthefactthatthefaintchillwithinhimwasthefaintchillofafaintfear.
Noyssaid,"It’ssoclean.There’snodust."
"Self-cleaning,"saidHarlan.Withaneffortthatseemedtotearathisvocalcordsheraisedhisvoicetonear-normallevel."Butnoone’shere,upwhenordownwhenforthousandsandthousandsofCenturies."
Noysseemedtoacceptthat."Andeverythingisfixedupso?Wepassedfoodstoresandaviewing-filmlibrary.Didyouseethat?"
"Isawthat.Oh,it’sfullyequipped.They’reallfullyequipped.EverySection."
"Butwhy,ifnooneevercomeshere?"
"It’slogical,"saidHarlan.Talkingaboutittookawaysomeoftheeeriness.Sayingoutloudwhathealreadyknewintheabstractwouldpin-pointthematter,bringitdowntotheleveloftheprosaic.Hesaid,"EarlyinthehistoryofEternity,oneoftheCenturiesinthe300’scameupwithamassduplicator.DoyouknowwhatImean?Bysettinguparesonatingfield,energycouldbeconvertedtomatterwithsubatomicparticlestakinguppreciselythesamepatternofpositions,withintheuncertaintyrequirements,asthoseinthemodelbeingused.Theresultisanexactcopy.
"WeinEternitycommandeeredtheinstrumentforourownpurposes.Atthattime,therewereonlyaboutsixorsevenhundredSectionsbuiltup.
