Конец вечности
The Beginning of Eternity
"Withthepassageoftime,Cooperadoptedtheother’shabits,learnedtoshiftforhimselfwiththehelpofaclumsyDiesel-oilelectricgeneratorandwithwiredelectricalapplianceswhichfreedthemofdependenceonpowerbeams.
"ButprogresswasslowandCooperfoundhimselfsomethinglessthanamarvelousteacher.Mallansohngrewmoroseandunco-operativeandthenonedaydied,quitesuddenly,inafalldownacanyonofthewild,mountainouscountryinwhichtheylived.Cooper,afterweeksofdespair,withtheruinofhislifeworkand,presumably,ofallEternity,staringhimintheeye,decidedonadesperateexpedient.HedidnotreportMallansohn’sdeath.Instead,heslowlytooktobuilding,outofthematerialsathand,aTemporalField.
"Thedetailsdonotmatter.HesucceededaftermountainsofdrudgeryandimprovisationandtookthegeneratortotheCaliforniaInstituteofTechnology,justasyearsbeforehehadexpectedtherealMallansohntodo.
"Youknowthestoryfromyourownstudies.Youknowofthedisbeliefandrebuffshefirstmet,hisperiodunderobservation,hisescapeandthenear-lossofhisgenerator,thehelphereceivedfromthemanatthelunchcounterwhosenameheneverlearned,butwhoisnowoneofEternity’sheroes,andofthefinaldemonstrationforProfessorZimbalist,inwhichawhitemousemovedbackwardandforwardintime.Iwon’tboreyouwithanyofthat.
