Конец вечности
Observer
HesaiditintheIntertemporalheandallotherEternalsinhispresencehadusedeversincehisfirstmonthsinEternity.
"Nonsense,"saidTwissellimperiously."IdonotbotherofIntertemporal.Myspeechoften-millennialisoverthanperfect."
HarlanguessedthatithadbeensomefortyyearssinceTwissellhadhadtomakeuseoflocalwhendialects.
Buthavingmadehispointtohisownsatisfaction,apparently,heshiftedtoIntertemporalandremainedthere.Hesaid,"Iwouldofferyouacigarette,butIamcertainyoudon’tsmoke.Smokingisapprovedofhardlyanywheninhistory.Infact,goodcigarettesaremadeonlyinthe72ndandminehavetobespeciallyimportedfromthere.Igiveyouthathintincaseyoueverbecomeasmoker.Itisallverysad.Lastweek,Iwasstuckinthe123rdfortwodays.Nosmoking.Imean,evenintheSectionofEternitydevotedtothe123rd.TheEternalstherehavepickedupthemores.IfIhadlitacigaretteitwouldhavebeenliketheskycollapsing.SometimesIthinkIshouldliketocalculateonegreatRealityChangeandwipeoutalltheno-smokingtaboosinalltheCenturies,exceptthatanyRealityChangelikethatwouldmakeforwarsinthe58thoraslavesocietyinthe1000th.Alwayssomething."
Harlanwasfirstconfused,thenanxious.Surelytheserattlingirrelevanciesmustbehidingsomething.
Histhroatfeltalittleconstricted.Hesaid,"MayIaskwhyyou’vearrangedtoseeme,sir?"
"Ilikeyourreports,boy."
TherewasaveiledglimmerofjoyinHarlan’seyes,buthedidnotsmile."Thankyou,sir."
