Конец вечности
Cub
TherewasnopointinaskingthenatureofaSpeedy-vac.Itmightbeasuctioncleaner,acomputingmachine,atypeofspraypainter.Anything.Harlanwasn’tparticularlyinterested.
Hesaid,"Doyouknowanythingabouthistory?Anykindofhistory?"
"IstudiedEuropeanhistory."
"Yourparticularpoliticalunit,Itakeit."
"IwasborninEurope.Yes.Mostly,ofcourse,theytaughtusmodernhistory.Aftertherevolutionsof’54;7554,thatis."
"Allright.Firstthingyoudoistoforgetit.Itdoesn’tmeananything.ThehistorytheytrytoteachTimerschangeswitheveryRealityChange.Notthattheyrealizethat.IneachReality,theirhistoryistheonlyhistory.That’swhat’ssodifferentaboutPrimitivehistory.That’sthebeautyofit.Nomatterwhatanyofusdoes,itexistspreciselyasithasalwaysexisted.ColumbusandWashington,MussoliniandHereford,theyallexist."
Coopersmiledfeebly.HebrushedhislittlefingeracrosshisupperlipandforthefirsttimeHarlannoticedatraceofbristlethereasthoughtheCubwerecultivatingamustache.
Coopersaid,"Ican’tquite-getusedtoit,allthetimeI’vebeenhere."
"Getusedtowhat?"
"BeingfivehundredCenturiesawayfromhomewhen."
"I’mnearlythatmyself.I’m95th."
"That’sanotherthing.You’reolderthanIamandyetI’mseventeenCenturiesolderthanyouinanotherway.Icanbeyourgreat-great-great-and-so-on-grandfather."
"What’sthedifference?Supposeyouare?"
"Well,ittakesgettingusedto."TherewasatraceofrebellionintheCub’svoice.
