Конец вечности
Cub
Thelawsoftheordinaryuniversejustdon’tapplytothekettleshafts!"
Cooper’smouthquirkedabitandHarlanthoughtuneasily:Thekid’stakingtemporalengineeringandknowsmoreaboutthisthanIdo.Whydon’tIshutupandstopmakingafoolofmyself?
Heretreatedintosilence,andstaredsomberlyatCooper.Theyoungerman’smustachehadbeenfull-grownformonths.Itdrooped,framinghismouthinwhatEternalscalledaMallansohnhairline,becausetheonlyphotographknowntobeauthenticoftheTemporalFieldinventor(andthatapooroneandoutoffocus)showedhimwithjustsuchamustache.ForthatreasonitmaintainedacertainpopularityamongEternalseventhoughitdidfewofthemjustice.
Cooper’seyeswerefixedontheshiftingnumbersthatmarkedthepassingoftheCenturieswithrespecttothemselves.Hesaid,"Howfarupwhendoesthekettleshaftgo?"
"Haven’ttheytaughtyouthat?"
"They’vehardlymentionedthekettles."
Harlanshrugged."There’snoendtoEternity.Theshaftgoesonforever."
"Howfarupwhenhaveyougone?"
"Thiswillbetheuppest.Dr.Twissellhasbeenuptothe50,000’s."
"GreatTime!"whisperedCooper.
"That’sstillnothing.SomeEternalshavebeenuppastthe150,000thCentury."
"What’sthatlike?"
"Likenothingatall,"saidHarlanmorosely."Lotsoflifebutnoneofithuman.Manisgone."
"Dead?Wipedout?"
"Idon’tknowthatanyoneexactlyknows."
"Can’tsomethingbedonetochangethat?"
"Well,fromthe70,000’son—"beganHarlan,thenendedabruptly."Oh,toTimewithit.
