Конец вечности
The Earlier Crime
MyLife-Plottinghadindicatedshewoulddiebeforedelivery,soItooknoprecautions.ShewashappyinherpregnancyandIwantedhertoremainso.SoIonlywatchedandtriedtosmilewhenshetoldmeshecouldfeellifestirringwithinher.
Butthensomethinghappened.Shegavebirthprematurely--Idon’twonderyoulookthatway.Ihadachild.Arealchildofmyown.You’llfindnootherEternal,perhaps,whocansaythat.Thatwasmorethanamisdemeanor.Thatwasaseriousfelony,butitwasstillnothing.
Ihadn’texpectedit.BirthanditsproblemswereanaspectoflifewithwhichIhadhadlittleexperience.
IwentbacktotheLife-Plotinpanicandfoundthelivingchild,inanalternatesolutiontoalow-probabilityforkletIhadoverlooked.AprofessionalLife-PlotterwouldnothaveoverlookeditandIhaddonewrongtotrustmyownabilitiesthatfar.
ButwhatcouldIdonow?
Icouldn’tkillthechild.Themotherhadtwoweekstolive.Letthechildlivewithhertillthen,Ithought.Twoweeksofhappinessisnotanexorbitantgifttoask.
Themotherdied,asforeseen,andinthemannerforeseen.Isatinherroom,forallthetimepermittedbythespatio-temporalchart,achingwithasorrowallthekeenerformyhavingwaitedfordeath,infullknowledge,foroverayear.Inmyarms,Iheldmysonandhers.
–Yes,Iletitlive.
