Конец вечности

           Eternitywastoofinelybalancedanarrangementtoenduremodification.

           ItwashisangeronbehalfofEternity,perhaps,thatputanunintendedharshnessintoHarlan’snextwords."Ihopeyou’renotplanningongoingbacktothe78thtocheckonher."

           TheCubliftedhisheadandhiseyeswerefirmandsteady."No."

           Harlanshifteduneasily,"Good.Youhavenofamily.Nothing.You’reanEternalanddon’teverthinkofanyoneyouknewinTime."

           Cooper’slipsthinned,andhisaccentstoodoutsharplyinhisquickwords."You’respeakinglikeaTechnician."

           Harlan’sfistsclenchedalongthesidesofhisdesk.Hesaidhoarsely,"Whatdoyouimply?I’maTechniciansoImaketheChanges?SoIdefendthemanddemandthatyouacceptthem?Look,kid,youhaven’tbeenhereayear;youcan’tspeakIntertemporal;you’reallmisgearedonTimeandReality,butyouthinkyouknowallaboutTechniciansandhowtokickthemintheteeth."

           "I’msorry,"saidCooperquickly;"Ididn’tmeantooffendyou."

           "No,no,whooffendsaTechnician?Youjustheareveryoneelsetalking,isthatit?Theysay,’ColdasaTechnician’sheart,’don’tthey?Theysay,’Atrillionpersonalitieschanged-justaTechnician’syawn.’Maybeafewotherthings.What’stheanswer,Mr.Cooper?Doesitmakeyoufeelsophisticatedtojoinin?Itmakesyouabigman?AbigwheelinEternity?"

           "IsaidI’msorry."

           "Allright.IjustwantyoutoknowI’vebeenaTechnicianforlessthanamonthandIpersonallyhaveneverinducedaRealityChange.Nowlet’sgetonwithbusiness."