Конец вечности
The Beginning of Eternity
HadTwisselltrickedhim?HadeverythinghehaddonebeendesignedonlytogetHarlanquietlyintoalockedcontrolroom?HavinglearnedthatHarlanknewhisownimportance,hadheimprovisedwithdiabolicalcleverness,keepinghimengagedinconversation,drugginghisemotionswithwords,leadinghimhere,leadinghimthere,untilthetimewasripeforlockinghimin?
ThatquickandeasysurrenderoverNoys.Shewon’tbehurt,Twissellhadsaid.Allwillbewell.
Howcouldhehavebelievedthat!Iftheywerenotgoingtoharmher,ortouchher,whythetemporalbarrieracrossthekettlewaysatthe100,000th?ThataloneshouldhavegivenTwissellcompletelyaway.
Butbecausehe(fool!)wantedtobelieve,heallowedhimselftobeledthroughthoselastphysiohoursblindly,placedinsidealockedroomwherehewasnolongerneeded,eventoclosethefinalcontact.
Inonestrokehehadbeenrobbedofhisessentiality.ThetrumpsinhishandhadbeenneatlymaneuveredintodeucesandNoyswasoutofhisreachforever.Whatpunishmentmightlieinwaitforhimdidnotconcernhim.Noyswasoutofhisreachforever.
Ithadneveroccurredtohimthattheprojectwouldbesoclosetoitsend.That,ofcourse,waswhathadreallymadehisdefeatpossible.
Twissell’svoicesoundeddimly."You’llbecutoffnow,boy."
Harlanwasalone,helpless,useless…
