За разломом орла

           Butobjectivetime—thetimethatpassedbackhome—isalotclearer. IttookBlueGooseonehundredandfiftyyearstoreachus. Evenifyouturnedbacknow,you’dhavebeenawayforthreehundredyears,Thom." 

           "Katerina,"Isaid,hernamelikeaninvocation. 

           "Katerina’sdead,"Gretatoldme."She’salreadybeendeadacentury." 

           *** 

           Howdoyouadjusttosomethinglikethat? Theansweristhatyoucan’tcountonadjustingtoitatall. Noteveryonedoes. Gretatoldmethatshehadseenjustabouteverypossiblereactioninthespectrum,andtheonethingshehadlearnedwasthatitwasnexttoimpossibletopredicthowagivenindividualwouldtakethenews. Shehadseenpeopleadjusttotherevelationwithlittlemorethanaworld-wearyshrug,asifthisweremerelythelatestinalineofgallingsurpriseslifehadthrownatthem, noworseinitswaythanillnessorbereavementoranynumberofpersonalsetbacks. Shehadseenotherswalkawayandkillthemselveshalfanhourlater. 

           Butthemajority,shesaid,dideventuallycometosomekindofaccommodationwiththetruth,howeverfalteringandpainfultheprocess. 

           "Trustme,Thom,"shesaid. "Iknowyounow.Iknowyouhavetheemotionalstrengthtogetthroughthis. Iknowyoucanlearntolivewithit." 

           "Whydidn’tyoutellmestraightaway,assoonasIcameoutofthetank?" 

           "BecauseIdidn’tknowifyouweregoingtobeabletotakeit." 

           "YouwaiteduntilafteryouknewIhadawife." 

           "No,"Gretasaid."Iwaiteduntilafterwe’dmadelove.BecausethenIknewKaterinacouldn’tmeanthatmuchtoyou."