Конец вечности
The Closing Circle
Andnooneelse."
"YouandI,"agreedHarlan."Nooneelse.AwomanoftheHiddenCenturiesandI…Don’tactanymore,Noys.Please."
Shestaredathimwithhorror."Whatareyousaying,Andrew?"
"WhatImustsay.Whatwereyousayingthatevening,whenyougavemethepeppermintdrink?Youweretalkingtome.Yoursoftvoice-softwords…Iheardnothing,notconsciously,butIrememberyourdelicatevoicewhispering.Aboutwhat?ThedownwhenjourneyofCooper;theSamson-smashofEternity.AmIright?"
Noyssaid,"Idon’tevenknowwhatSamson-smashmeans."
"Youcanguessveryaccurately,Noys.Tellme,whendidyouenterthe482nd?Whomdidyoureplace?Ordidyoujust-squeezein.IhadyourLife-Plotworkedoutbyanexpertinthe2456th.InthenewReality,youhadnoexistenceatall.Noanalogue.StrangeforsuchasmallChange,butnotimpossible.AndthentheLife-PlottersaidonethingwhichIheardwithmyearsbutnotwithmymind.StrangethatIshouldrememberit.Perhapseventhen,somethingclangedinmymind,butIwastoofullof-youtolisten.Hesaid:’_withthecombinationoffactorsyouhandedme,Idon’tquiteseehowshefitintheoldReality_.’
"Hewasright.Youdidn’tfitin.Youwereaninvaderfromthefarupwhen,manipulatingmeandFinge,too,tosuityourself."
Noyssaidurgently,"Andrew--"
"Itallfitin,ifIhadtheeyestolook
