Конец вечности
Full Circle
ThethingheisknownbestforisthefactthathefirstsuccessfullybuiltaTemporalField.Thatmeans,ofcourse,thatheinventedEternity,sinceEternityisonlyonetremendousTemporalFieldshortcircuitingordinaryTimeandfreeofthelimitationsofordinaryTime."
"YouweretaughtthisasaCub,boy."
"ButIwasnottaughtthatVikkorMallansohncouldnotpossiblyhaveinventedtheTemporalFieldinthe24thCentury.Norcouldanyonehave.Themathematicalbasisforitdidn’texist.ThefundamentalLefebvreequationsdidnotexist;norcouldtheyexistuntiltheresearchesofJanVerdeerinthe27thCentury."
IftherewasonesignbywhichSeniorComputerTwissellcouldindicatecompleteastonishment,itwasthatofdroppinghiscigarette.Hedroppeditnow.Evenhissmilewasgone.
Hesaid,"WereyoutaughttheLefebvreequations,boy?"
"No.AndIdon’tsayIunderstandthem.Butthey’renecessaryfortheTemporalField.I’velearnedthat.Andtheyweren’tdiscoveredtillthe27th.Iknowthat,too."
Twissellbenttopickuphiscigaretteandregardeditdubiously."WhatifMallansohnhadstumbledontheTemporalFieldwithoutbeingawareofthemathematicaljustification?Whatifitweresimplyanempiricaldiscovery?Therehavebeenmanysuch."
"I’vethoughtofthat.
