Конец вечности
Observer
"DoesanythinginmyreportsleadyoutothinkthatIamdisturbed?"
ItwasneartoimpudenceandthedrummingofFinge’sbluntnailsuponhisdeskshowedit.Fingesaid,"Answermyquestion."
Harlansaid,"Sociologically,manyfacetsoftheCenturyrepresentanextreme.ThelastthreeRealityChangesintheaboutwhenhaveaccentuatedthat.Eventually,Isupposethemattershouldberectified.Extremesareneverhealthy."
"ThenyoutookthetroubletocheckthepastRealitiesoftheCentury."
"AsanObserver,Imustcheckallpertinentfacts."
Itwasastandoff.Harlan,ofcourse,didhavetherightandthedutytocheckthosefacts.Fingemustknowthat.EveryCenturywascontinuallybeingshakenbyRealityChanges.NoObservations,howeverpainstaking,couldeverstandforlongwithoutrechecking.ItwasstandardprocedureinEternitytohaveeveryCenturyinachronicstateofbeingObserved.AndtoObserveproperly,youmustbeabletopresent,notonlythefactsofthecurrentReality,butalsooftheirrelationshiptothoseofpreviousRealities.
YetitseemedobvioustoHarlanthatthiswasnotmerelyunpleasantnessonFinge’spart,thisprobingoftheObserver’sopinions.Fingeseemeddefinitelyhostile.
AtanothertimeFingesaidtoHarlan(havinginvadedthelatter’ssmallofficetobringthenews),"YourreportsarecreatingaveryfavorableimpressionwiththeAllwhenCouncil."
Harlanpaused,uncertain,thenmumbled,"Thankyou."
"Allagreethatyoushowanuncommondegreeofpenetration."
"Idomybest."
