Конец вечности
Life-Plotter
Momentarilyhestiffened,liftedhishandsinagesturethatmighthavebeenintendedtoholdheroff.Itdidn’tsucceed.
Shebentandkissedhimonhislips,andnothingseemedshamefulanymore.NothingthatinvolvedNoysandhimself.
Hewasn’tsurewhenfirsthebegantodosomethingthatanObserver,ethically,hadnorighttodo.Thatis,hebegantospeculateonthenatureoftheprobleminvolvingthecurrentRealityandoftheRealityChangethatwouldbeplanned.
ItwasnottheloosemoralsoftheCentury,notectogenesis,notmatriarchy,thatdisturbedEternity.AllofthatwasasitwasinthepreviousRealityandtheAllwhenCouncilhadvieweditwithequanimitythen.Fingehadsaiditwassomethingverysubtle.
TheChangethenwouldhavetobeverysubtleanditwouldhavetoinvolvethegrouphewasObserving.Somuchseemedobvious.
Itwouldinvolvethearistocracy,thewell-to-do,theupperclasses,thebeneficiariesofthesystem.
WhatbotheredhimwasthatitwouldmostcertainlyinvolveNoys.
HegotthroughtheremainingthreedayscalledforinhischartinagatheringcloudthatdampenedevenhisjoyinNoys’scompany.
Shesaidtohim,"Whathappened?Forawhile,youseemedalldifferentfromthewayyouwereinEter-inthatplace.Youweren’tstiffatall.Now,youseemconcerned.Isitbecauseyouhavetogoback?"
Harlansaid,"Partly."
"Doyouhaveto?"
"Ihaveto."
"Well,whowouldcareifyouwerelate?"
Harlanalmostsmiledatthat.
