Конец вечности
Observer
HewastheoutstandingComputerinEternity,whichwasanotherwayofsayinghewasthemosteminentEternalalive.HewasthedeanoftheAllwhenCouncil.HehaddirectedmoreRealityChangesthananymaninthehistoryofEternity.Hewas—Hehad—Harlan’smindfailedhimaltogether.Henoddedhisheadwithadoltishgrinandsaidnothing.
Twissellputhiscigarettetohislips,puffedquickly,andtookitaway."Leaveus,Finge.Iwanttotalktotheboy."
Fingerose,murmuredsomething,andleft.
Twissellsaid,"Youseemnervous,boy.Thereisnothingtobenervousabout."
ButmeetingTwisselllikethatwasashock.Itisalwaysdisconcertingtofindthatsomeoneyouhavethoughtofasagiantisactuallylessthanfiveandahalffeettall.Couldthebrainofageniusactuallyfitbehindtheretreating,bald-smoothforehead?Wasitsharpintelligenceoronlygoodhumorthatbeamedoutofthelittleeyesthatscrewedupintoathousandwrinkles.
Harlandidn’tknowwhattothink.Thecigaretteseemedtoobscurewhatsmallscrabbleofintelligencehecouldcollect.Heflinchedvisiblyasapuffofsmokereachedhim.
Twissell’seyesnarrowedasthoughheweretryingtopeerthroughthesmokehazeandhesaidinhorriblyaccentedtenth-millennialdialect,"WillyoupetterfeelifIinyouryourselfdialectshouldspeech,poy?"
Harlan,broughttothesuddenbrinkofhystericallaughter,saidcarefully,"IspeakStandardIntertemporalquitewell,sir."
