Конец вечности
Interlude
Andbecausethehouse,asitwas,meantagreatdealtohim,hefoundheresenteditspassingandmournedit.
Once,only,infivetripshadtherebeenanysoundtobreakthestillnessduringhisprowlings.Hewasinthepantry,then,thankfulthatthetechnologyofthatRealityandCenturyhadmadeservantsunfashionableandremovedaproblem.Hehad,herecalled,chosenamongthecansofpreparedfoods,andwasjustdecidingthathehadenoughforonetrip,andthatNoyswouldbepleasedindeedtointerspersetheheartybutuncolorfulbasicdietprovidedintheemptySectionwithsomeofherowndietary.Heevenlaughedaloudtothinkthatnotlongbeforehehadthoughtherdietdecadent.
Itwasinthemiddleofthelaughthatheheardadistinctclappingnoise.Hefroze!
Thesoundhadcomefromsomewherebehindhim,andinthestartledmomentduringwhichhehadnotmovedthelesserdangerthatitwasahousebreakeroccurredtohimfirstandthegreaterdangerofitsbeinganinvestigatingEternaloccurredsecond.
Itcouldn’tbeahousebreaker.Theentireperiodofthespatio-temporalchart,graceperiodandall,hadbeenpainstakinglyclearedandchosenoutofothersimilarperiodsofTimebecauseofthelackofcomplicatingfactors.Ontheotherhand,hehadintroducedamicro-Change(perhapsnotsomicroatthat)byabstractingNoys.
Heartpounding,heforcedhimselftoturn.
