Конец вечности
The Hidden Centuries
Harlansaid,"Idon’tunderstandyou."
Twissellseemedeagertotalk,asthoughtoexorcisesomementaldemon.Hesaid,"Maybeyou’llappreciatethis,atthat.You’retheexpertonthePrimitive.HowlongdidmanexistinthePrimitive?"
Harlansaid,"TenthousandCenturies.Fifteenthousand,maybe."
"Yes.BeginningasakindofprimitiveapelikecreatureandendingasHomosapiens.Right?"
"It’scommonknowledge.Yes."
"Thenitmustbecommonknowledgethatevolutionproceedsatafairlyrapidpace.FifteenthousandCenturiesfromapetoHomosapiens."
"Well?"
"Well,I’mfromaCenturyinthe30,000’s--"
(Harlancouldnothelpstarting.HehadneverknownTwissell’shomewhenorknownofanyonewhodid.)
"I’mfromaCenturyinthe30,000’s,"Twissellsaidagain,"andyou’refromthe95th.Thetimebetweenourhomewhensistwicethetotallengthoftimeofman’sexistenceinthePrimitive,yetwhatchangeistherebetweenus?Iwasbornwithfourfewerteeththanyou,andwithoutanappendix.Thephysiologicaldifferencesaboutendwiththat.Ourmetabolismisalmostthesame.Themajordifferenceisthatyourbodycansynthesizethesteroidnucleusandmybodycan’t,sothatIrequirecholesterolinmydietandyoudon’t.Iwasabletobreedwithawomanofthe575th.That’showundifferentiatedwithtimethespeciesis.
