Конец вечности
The Earlier Crime
"
TherewereafewmomentsofsilencethatwereaswelcometothefeverishHarlanaswaterwouldhavebeen.
Twissellsaid,"Isthatit?Whatifyouhadmetyourself?"
"Ididn’t."
Twissellignoredthat."Thereisalwaysroomforrandomvariation.WithaninfinitenumberofRealitiestherecanbenosuchthingasdeterminism.SupposethatintheMallansohnReality,inthepreviousturnofthecycle--"
"Thecirclegoesonforever?"askedHarlanwithwhatwonderhecouldstillfindinhimself.
"Doyouthinkonlytwice?Doyouthinktwoisamagicnumber?It’samatterofinfiniteturnsofthecircleinfinitephysiotime.Justasyoucandrawapencilroundandroundthecircumferenceofacircleinfinitelyyetencloseafinitearea.Inpreviousturnsofthecycle,youhadnotmetyourself.Thisonetime,thestatisticaluncertaintyofthingsmadeitpossibleforyoutomeetyourself.RealityhadtochangetopreventthemeetingandinthenewReality,youdidnotsendCooperbacktothe24thbut--"
Harlancried,"What’sallthistalkabout?Whatareyougettingat?It’salldone.Everything.Letmealonenow!_Letmealone!_"
"Iwantyoutoknowyou’vedonewrong.Iwantyoutorealizeyoudidthewrongthing."
"Ididn’t.AndevenifIdid,_it’sdone_."
"Butitisnotdone.Listenjustalittlewhilelonger."Twissellwaswheedling,almostcrooningwithanagonizedgentleness.
