Конец вечности
The Closing Circle
Noys,remainingclosebehindhim,whispered,"Whatareyoulookingfor?"
Hesaid,"Something.Anything,"
Hefoundhissomething,anything,attheveryrearofthecaveintheshapeofaflattishstonecoveringgreenishsheetslikeapaperweight.
Harlanthrewthestoneasideandflippedthesheetspastonethumb.
"Whatarethey?"askedNoys.
"Banknotes.Mediumofexchange.Money."
"Didyouknowtheywerethere?"
"Iknewnothing.Ijusthoped."
ItwasonlyamatterofusingTwissell’sreverselogic,ofcalculatingcausefromeffect.Eternityexisted,soCoopermustbemakingcorrectdecisionstoo.InassumingtheadvertisementwouldpullHarlanintothecorrectTime,thecavewasanobviousadditionalmeansofcommunication.
Yetthiswasalmostbetterthanhehaddaredhope.MorethanonceduringthepreparationsforhistripintothePrimitive,Harlanhadthoughtthatmakinghiswayintoatownwithnothingbutbullioninhispossessionwouldresultinsuspicionanddelay.
Cooperhadmanaged,tobesure,butCooperhadhadtime.Harlanheftedthesheafofbills.Andhemusthaveusedtimetoaccumulatethismuch.Hehaddonewell,theyoungster,marvelouslywell.
Andthecirclewasclosing!
Thesupplieshadbeenmovedintothecave,intheincreasinglyruddyglowofthewesteringsun.
