"George Alec Effinger - Bird of Time" - читать интересную книгу автора (Effinger George Alec)

as he gave his card to the man behind the counter.
The man smiled, not pleasantly. He was dressed in the
uniform of the Agency, the silver-and-blue tunic with the
leatherneck collar. There were five rows of ribbons on his
breast, signifying one thing and another, all mysterious and
unknown to Hartstein. The man was evidently a hardened
veteran of the Agency; it seemed odd to Hartstein to see him
behind the counter, like a travel agent or an airline ticket
clerk. тАЬSecond thoughts?тАЭ said the Agency man.
тАЬWell,тАЭ said Hartstein, тАЬno.тАЭ He wasn't going to let this
veteran see that the notion of a vacation in time made him
just a little uneasy. It did, but not enough to make him
change his mind. Really, it was the expense that staggered
Hartstein more than the danger. But possibly, down
underneath, buried successfully beneath rocky strata of more
mundane worries, there was the tickling fear that he might be
one of the 2 percent that never came back.
Hartstein was a young man, recently graduated from
college in Mississippi, about to begin a new life as an
employee in a doughnut shop, who had been given a large
5
 The Bird of Time
by George Alec Effinger


sum of money by his grandparents with the stipulation that
he spend it broadening his horizons, by traveling either to
Europe or into the past. тАЬI'd love to go back in time,тАЭ he
explained to his father. тАЬEurope will always be there.тАЭ
Mr. Hartstein considered his son's urgency about the past,
which, as far as he could see, would also always be there.
тАЬYou're going to have a great future in doughnuts, son,тАЭ he
said.
And so, Hartstein was standing at the Agency counter in
the lobby of the Agency Building right in the middle of Agency
Plaza downtown. тАЬAny luggage?тАЭ asked the uniformed man.
тАЬUh huh.тАЭ Hartstein indicated a molded plastic suitcase he
had brought with him, with extra shirts and socks, camera
and film, and whatever else he thought he'd need.
тАЬThey didn't have molded plastic suitcases in ancient
times,тАЭ said the Agent.
тАЬOh,тАЭ said Hartstein, тАЬthat's right.тАЭ He looked confused.
тАЬDon't worry. We'll provide you with everything you'll
need, costume, appropriate accessories, money, and so forth.
We'll make sure your hairstyle and facial hair conform to the
local fashion. We'll give you a quick ESB knowledge of
language, customs, and background. You won't have to worry
about a thing.тАЭ
тАЬI'm not,тАЭ said Hartstein in an uncertain voice. тАЬWorried, I
mean.тАЭ He looked at a framed quotation hanging on the wall