Конец вечности

           IwishIcouldreadyourStandardIntertemporal."

           "Actually,"saidHarlan,"mostofthesquigglesyoumentionaren’tIntertemporalreally,justmathematicalnotation."

           "Youunderstandit,though,don’tyou?"

           Harlanhatedtodoanythingtodisillusionthefrankadmirationinhereyes,buthewasforcedtosay,"NotasmuchasI’dliketo.Still,IhavebeenpickingupenoughmathtogetwhatIwant.Idon’thavetounderstandeverythingtobeabletoseeaholeinawallbigenoughtopushafreightkettlethrough."

           Hetossedtheviewerintotheair,caughtitwithaflickofhishand,andputitonasmallend-table.

           Noys’seyesfollowedithungrilyandsuddeninsightflashedonHarlan.

           Hesaid,"FatherTime!Youcan’treadIntertemporal,atthat."

           "No.Ofcoursenot."

           "ThentheSectionlibraryhereisuselesstoyou.Ineverthoughtofthat.Yououghttohaveyourownfilmsfromthe482nd."

           Shesaidquickly,"No.Idon’twantany."

           Hesaid,"You’llhavethem."

           "Honestly,Idon’twantthem.It’ssillytorisk--"

           "You’llhavethem!"hesaid.

           ForthelasttimehestoodattheimmaterialboundaryseparatingEternityfromNoys’shouseinthe482nd.Hehadintendedthetimebeforetobethelasttime.