Конец вечности
Beyond the Downwhen Terminus
"Impossible,hewouldsay.Realitymustchangetocorrectyourknowledge,evenifitmeantthecirclewouldnevercloseandEternityneverestablished.
"Whyhearguedso,Idon’tknow.Perhapshehonestlybelievedit,perhapsitwasanintellectualgamewithhim,perhapsitwasjustthedesiretoshocktherestofuswithanunpopularviewpoint.Inanycase,theprojectproceededandsomeofthememoirbegantobefulfilled.WelocatedCooper,forinstance,intheCenturyandRealitythatthememoirgaveus.Sennor’scasewasexplodedbythatalone,butitdidn’tbotherhim.Bythattime,hehadgrowninterestedinsomethingelse.
"Andyet,andyet"-helaughedgently,withmorethanatraceofembarrassment,andlethiscigarette,unnoticed,burndownnearlytohisfingers-"youknowIwasneverquiteeasyinmymind.Somethingmighthappen.TheRealityinwhichEternitywasestablishedmightchangeinsomewayinordertopreventwhatSennorcalledaparadox.ItwouldhavetochangetooneinwhichEternitywouldnotexist.Sometimes,inthedarkofasleepingperiod,whenIcouldn’tsleep,Icouldalmostpersuademyselfthatthatwasindeedso.-andnowit’salloverandIlaughatmyselfasasenilefool."
Harlansaidinalowvoice,"ComputerSennorwasright."
Twissellwhirled."What?"
"Theprojectfailed."Harlan’smindwascomingoutoftheshadows(why,andintowhat,hewasnotsure)."Thecircleisnotcomplete.
