Конец вечности
Trapped!
"
Harlanshrugged,thengrewawareofTwissell’seyesstaringoutoftheCommuniplateandharduponhim.Hegrewuneasyandsaid,"Yes,Computer?"
"Nothing,"saidTwissell,andperhapsitwasthecloakofageweighingdownuponhisshoulders,buthisvoicewasunaccountablysad."Ithoughtyouwereabouttospeak."
"No,"saidHarlan."Ihadnothingtosay."
"Well,then,I’llseeyoutomorrowatopeningintheComputingRoom,boy.Ihaveagreatdealtosay."
"Yes,sir,"saidHarlan.Hestaredforlongminutesattheplateafteritwentdark.
Thathadalmostsoundedlikeathreat.FingehadcalledTwissell,hadhe?WhathadhesaidthatTwisselldidnotreport.
Butanoutsidethreatwaswhatheneeded.Battlingasicknessofthespiritwaslikestandinginaquicksandandbeatingitwithastick.BattlingFingewasanotherthingaltogether.Harlanhadrememberedtheweaponathisdisposalandforthefirsttimeindaysfeltafractionofself-confidencereturn.
Itwasasthoughadoorhadclosedandanotherhadopened.Harlangrewasfeverishlyactiveaspreviouslyhehadbeencatatonic.Hetraveledtothe2456thandbludgeonedSociologistVoytohisownexactwill.
Hediditperfectly.Hegottheinformationhesought.
Andmorethanhesought.Muchmore.
Confidenceisrewarded,apparently.
