The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov Read Free Book Online Page B

at him, his approach having been unheard) was no longer something sly and sneaking, but rather the fearful and reluctant tread of one who lives in the constant, if unconscious, fear that the flooring would break under his weight.
    Harlan thought, with a pleasant condescension: The man is poorly adjusted to the Section. Reassignment is probably the only thing that would help him.
    Finge said, “Greetings, Technician Harlan.”
    “Greetings, Computer,” said Harlan.
    Finge said, “It seems that in the two years since—”
    “Two physioyears,” said Harlan.
    Finge looked up in surprise. “Two physioyears, of course.”
    In Eternity there was no Time as one ordinarily thought of Time in the universe outside, but men’s bodies grew older and that was the unavoidable measure of Time even in the absence of meaningful physical phenomena. Physiologically Time passed, and in a physioyear within Eternity a man grew as much older as he would have in an ordinary year in Time.
    Yet even the most pedantic Eternal remembered the distinction only rarely. It was too convenient to say, “See you tomorrow,” or “I missed you yesterday,” or “I will see you next week,” as though there were a tomorrow or a yesterday or a last week in any but a physiological sense. And the instincts of humanity were catered to by having the activities of Eternity tailored to an arbitrary twenty-four “physiohour” day, with a solemn assumption of day and night, today and tomorrow.
    Finge said, “In the two
physioyears
since you left, a crisis has gradually gathered about the 482nd. A rather peculiar one. A delicate one. Almost unprecedented. We need accurate Observation now as we never have needed it before.”
    “And you want me to Observe?”
    “Yes. In a way, it’s a waste of talent to ask a Technician to do a job of Observation, but your previous Observations, for clarity and insight, were perfect. We need that again. Now I’ll just sketch in a few details. . . .”
    What those details were Harlan was not to find out just then. Finge spoke, but the door opened, and Harlan did not hear him.
    He stared at the person who entered.
    It was not that Harlan had never seen a girl in Eternity before. Never was too strong a word. Rarely, yes, but not never.
    But a girl such as
this
! And in
Eternity
!
    Harlan had seen many women in his passages through Time, but in Time they were only objects to him, like walls and balls, barrows and harrows, kittens and mittens. They were facts to be Observed.
    In Eternity a girl was a different matter. And one like
this
!
    She was dressed in the style of the upper classes of the 482nd, which meant transparent sheathing and not very much else above the waist, and flimsy, knee-length trousers below. The latter, while opaque enough, hinted delicately at gluteal curves.
    Her hair was glossily dark and shoulder length, her lips redly penciled thin above and full below in an exaggerated pout. Her upper eyelids and her earlobes were tinted a pale rose and the rest of her youthful (almost girlish) face was a startlingly milky white. Jeweled pendants descended forward from mid-shoulder to tinkle now this side, now that of the graceful breasts to which they drew attention.
    She took her seat at a desk in the corner of Finge’s office, lifting her eyelashes only once to sweep her dark glance across Harlan’s face.
    When Harlan heard Finge’s voice again, the Computerwas saying, “You’ll get all this in an official report and meanwhile you can have your old office and sleeping quarters.”
    Harlan found himself outside Finge’s office without quite remembering the details of his leaving. Presumably he had walked out.
    The emotion within him that was easiest to recognize was anger.
By Time
, Finge ought not to be allowed to do this. It was bad for morale. It made a mockery—
    He stopped himself, unclenched his fist, unclamped his jaw. Let’s see, now! His footsteps sounded sharply in his own ear as he strode