Конец вечности
Prelude to Crime
Still,ifaChangeisdesirable,isn’titobvioustoyouthattheinhabitantsoftheCenturywhomust,aboveall,changemaximallywiththeChange,bethosewhoaresubjecttothesuperstition.Inotherwords,thefemalearistocracy.Noys."
"Itmaybe,butI’lltakemychance,"saidHarlan.
"Youhavenochanceatall.DoyouthinkyourfascinationsandcharmpersuadedthesoftaristocrattofallintothearmsofanunimportantTechnician?Come,Harlan,berealisticaboutthis."
Harlan’slipsgrewstubborn.Hesaidnothing.
Fingesaid,"Can’tyouguesstheadditionalsuperstitionwhichthesepeoplehaveaddedtotheirbeliefintheactualeternallifeoftheEternals?GreatTime,Harlan!MostofthewomenbelievethatintimacywithanEternalwillenableamortalwoman(astheythinkofthemselves)toliveforever!"
Harlanswayed.HecouldhearNoys’svoiceagainsoclearly:_IfIweremadeanEternal_...
Andthenherkisses.
Fingewenton."Theexistenceofsuchasuperstitionwashardtobelieve,Harlan.Itwasunprecedented.ItlaywithintheregionofrandomerrorsothatasearchthroughtheComputationsforthepreviousChangeyieldednoinformationrespectingitonewayortheother.TheAllwhenCouncilwantedfirmevidence,directsubstantiation.IchoseMissLambentasagoodexampleofherclass.Ichoseyouastheothersubject—"
Harlanstruggledtohisfeet."Youchoseme?Asasubject?"
"I’msorry,"saidFingestiffly,"butitwasnecessary.Youmadeaverygoodsubject."
Harlanstaredathim.
