Конец вечности
The Earlier Crime
IhadknowntherewouldbenodeleteriousaffectonReality.Otherwise,Imightnothavefounditinmyhearttolettheboylive.Iamnotcompletelyabandoned.
Ispentthedaywithmyson.Ispoketohimformally,smiledpolitely,tookmyleavecoollywhenthespatio-temporalchartdictated.Butunderneathallthat,Iwatchedandabsorbedeveryaction,fillingmyselfwithhim,andtryingtoliveonedayatleastoutofaRealitythatthenextday(byphysiotime)wouldnolongerhaveexisted.
HowIlongedtovisitmywifeonelasttime,too,duringthatportionofTimeinwhichshelived,butIhadusedeverysecondthathadbeenavailabletome.IdarednotevenenterTimetoseeher,unseen.
IreturnedtoEternityandspentonelasthorriblenightwrestlingfutilelyagainstwhatmustbe.ThenextmorningIhandedinmycomputationstogetherwithmyrecommendationsforChange.
Twissell’svoicehadloweredtoawhisperandnowitstopped.Hesattherewithhisshouldersbent,hiseyesfixedonthefloorbetweenhisknees,andhisfingerstwistingslowlyintoandoutofaknottedclasp.
Harlan,waitingvainlyforanothersentenceoutoftheoldman,clearedhisthroat.Hefoundhimselfpityingtheman,pityinghimdespitethemanycrimeshehadcommitted.Hesaid,"Andthat’sall?"
Twissellwhispered,"No,theworst-theworst--Ananalogueofmysondidexist.InthenewReality,heexisted-asaparaplegicfromtheageoffour
