Конец вечности
Cub
OnedayHarlansaidtoCooper,"Look,Cooper,wouldyoumindcomingintomorrowinstead?I’vegottogetuptothe3000’ssometimethisweektocheckonanObservationandthemanIwanttoseeisfreethisafternoon."
Cooper’seyeslituphungrily,"Whycan’tIcome?"
"Doyouwantto?"
"Sure.I’veneverbeeninakettleexceptwhentheybroughtmeherefromthe78thandIdidn’tknowwhatwashappeningatthetime."
HarlanwasaccustomedtousingthekettleinShaftC,whichwas,byunwrittencustom,reservedforTechniciansalongitsentireimmeasurablelengththroughtheCenturies.Coopershowednoembarrassmentatbeingledthere.Hesteppedintothekettlewithouthesitationandtookhisseatonthecurvedmoldingthatcompletelycircledit.
WhenHarlan,however,hadactivatedtheField,andkickedthekettleintoupwhenmotion,Cooper’sfacescrewedupintoanalmostcomicexpressionofsurprise.
"Idon’tfeelathing,"hesaid."Isanythingwrong?"
"Nothing’swrong.You’renotfeelinganythingbecauseyou’renotreallymoving.You’rebeingkickedalongthetemporalextensionofthekettle.Infact,"Harlansaid,growingdidactic,"atthemoment,youandIaren’tmatter,really,inspiteofappearances.Ahundredmencouldbeusingthissamekettle,moving(ifyoucancallitthat)atvariousvelocitiesineitherTime-direction,passingthroughoneanotherandsoon.
