Конец вечности
The Beginning of Eternity
Butnevermind--"Hebroughttheflatofhishandagainstthespheresothatitrangresoundingly,thenbroughthishandbacksothathecouldremoveacigarettefromhislip.Hesaid,"Canyouguesswhatthisis,Technician?"
"Harlansaid,"Itlookslikeanoutsizekettlewithatop."
"Exactly.You’reright.You’vegotit.Comeoninside."
HarlanfollowedTwissellintothesphere.Itwaslargeenoughtoholdfourorfivemen,buttheinteriorwasabsolutelyfeatureless.Thefloorwassmooth,thecurvedwallwasbrokenbytwowindows.Thatwasall.
"Nocontrols?"askedHarlan.
"Remotecontrols,"saidTwissell.Heranhishandoverthesmoothnessofthewallandsaid,"Doublewalls.Theentireinterwallvolumeisgivenovertoaself-containedTemporalField.ThisinstrumentisakettlethatisnotrestrictedtothekettleshaftsbutcanpassbeyondthedownwhenterminusofEternity.ItsdesignandconstructionweremadepossiblebyvaluablehintsintheMallansohnmemoir.Comewithme."
Thecontrolroomwasacut-offcornerofthelargeroom.Harlansteppedinandstaredsomberlyatimmensebusbars.
Twissellsaid,"Canyouhearme,boy?"
Harlanstartedandlookedabout.HehadnotbeenawarethatTwissellhadnotfollowedhiminside.HesteppedautomaticallytothewindowandTwissellwavedtohim.Harlansaid,"Icanhearyou,sir.Doyouwantmeoutside?"
"Notatall.Youarelockedin.
