Конец вечности
Observer
BestofalltherewasacompletesetofboundvolumesofaPrimitivenewsweeklythattookupinordinatespacebutthathecouldnot,outofsentiment,beartoreducetomicro-film.
Occasionallyhewouldlosehimselfinaworldwherelifewaslifeanddeath,death;whereamanmadehisdecisionsirrevocably;whereevilcouldnotbeprevented,norgoodpromoted,andtheBattleofWaterloo,havingbeenlost,wasreallylostforgoodandall.Therewasevenascrapofpoetryhetreasuredwhichstatedthatamovingfingerhavingoncewrittencouldneverbeluredbacktounwrite.
Andthenitwasdifficult,almostashock,toreturnhisthoughtstoEternity,andtoauniversewhereRealitywassomethingflexibleandevanescent,somethingmensuchashimselfcouldholdinthepalmsoftheirhandsandshakeintobettershape.)
TheillusionofSt.NicholasshatteredwhenHobbeFingespoketohiminabrisk,matter-of-factway."Youcanstartintomorrowwitharoutinescreeningofcurrent.Reality.Iwantitgood,thorough,andtothepoint.Therewillbexioslacknesspermitted.Yourfirstspatio-temporalchartwillbereadyforyoutomorrowmorning.Gotit?"
"Yes,Computer,"saidHarlan.HedecidedasearlyasthatthatheandAssistantComputerHobbeFingewouldnotgetalong,andheregrettedit.
ThenextmorningHarlangothischartinintricatelypunchedpatternsastheyemergedfromtheComputaplex.HeusedapocketdecodertotranslatethemintoStandardIntertemporalinhisanxietytomakenoteventhesmallestmistakeattheverybeginning.
