Конец вечности

           TheCubraisedhiseyes(forthefirsttime,really)andsaidstumblingly,"YouareaTechnician."

           AconsiderablepartofHarlan’sexcitementandwarmthdied."Whatofit?"

           "Nothing,"saidtheCub."Ijust—"

           "YouheardComputerTwisselladdressmeasTechnician,didn’tyou?"

           "Yes,sir."

           "Didyouthinkitwasaslipofthetongue?Somethingtoobadtobetrue?"

           "No,sir."

           "What’swrongwithyourspeech?"Harlanaskedbrutally,andevenashedidso,hefeltshamenudgehim.

           Cooperblushedpainfully."I’mnotverygoodatStandardIntertemporal."

           "Whynot?HowlonghaveyoubeenaCub?"

           "Lessthanoneyear,sir."

           "Oneyear?Howoldareyou,forTime’ssake?"

           "Twenty-fourphysioyears,sir."

           Harlanstared."AreyoutryingtotellmethattheytookyouintoEternityattwenty-three?"

           "Yes,sir."

           Harlansatdownandrubbedhishandstogether.Thatjustwasn’tdone.FifteentosixteenwastheageofentranceintoEternity.Whatwasthis?AnewkindoftestingofhimselfonthepartofTwissell?

           Hesaid,"Sitdownandlet’sgetstarted.Yournameinfullandyourhomewhen."

           TheCubstammered,"BrinsleySheridanCooperofthe78th,sir."

           Harlanalmostsoftened.Thatwasclose.ItwasonlyseventeenCenturiesdownwhenfromhisownhomewhen.AlmostaTemporalneighbor.

           Hesaid,"AreyouinterestedinPrimitivehistory?"

           "ComputerTwissellaskedmetolearn.Idon’tknowmuchaboutit."

           "Whatelseareyoulearning?"

           "Mathematics.Temporalengineering.I’mjustgettingthefundamentalssofar.Backinthe78th,IwasaSpeedy-vacrepairman."