Конец вечности
Observer
Forthefirsttimehewouldbeworkingunsupervised,andknowledgeofthatfactrobbedhimofsomeofhisself-assurancewhenhefirstreportedtotheComputerinchargeoftheSection.
ThatwasAssistantComputerHobbeFinge,whosepursed,suspiciousmouthandfrowningeyesseemedludicrousinsuchafaceashis.Hehadaroundbuttonofanose,twolargerbuttonsofcheeks.HeneededonlyatouchofredandafringeofwhitehairtobeconvertedintothepictureofthePrimitivemythofSt.Nicholas.
(-orSantaClausorKrissKringle.Harlanknewallthreenames.HedoubtedifoneEternaloutofahundredthousandhadheardofanyoneofthem.Harlantookasecret,shamefacedprideinthissortofarcaneknowledge.FromhisearliestdaysinschoolhehadriddenthehobbyhorseofPrimitivehistory,andEducatorYarrowhadencouragedit.Harlanhadgrownactuallyfondofthoseodd,pervertedCenturiesthatlay,notonlybeforethebeginningofEternityinthe27th,butevenbeforetheinventionoftheTemporalField,itself,inthe24th.Hehadusedoldbooksandperiodicalsinhisstudies.HehadeventraveledfardownwhentotheearliestCenturiesofEternity,whenhecouldgetpermission,toconsultbettersources.Foroverfifteenyearshehadmanagedtocollectaremarkablelibraryofhisown,almostallinprint-on-paper.TherewasavolumebyamancalledH.G.Wells,anotherbyamannamedW.Shakespeare,sometatteredhistories.
