Eighty Minute Hour. Brian Aldiss
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Название: Eighty Minute Hour
Автор: Brian Aldiss
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Научная фантастика
isbn: 9780007482450
isbn:
‘We already take for granted other sorts of space opened up to us through the space-holes or warps caused by intensive gravitational thermonuclear disruption,’ Attica Saigon Smix said. ‘We must now face up to the fact that more than one time can exist simultaneously.’
‘Reports coming in confirm that remark,’ Thunderbird Smith said. ‘I am receiving formulations of them now.’ It did not stop him talking.
‘We believe we know exactly what phenomena in the physical world we are witnessing. Data are arriving to buttress the hypothesis. Thus it ever was in the history of scientific understanding. Right here in Beta Suite, only three days back, we discussed a report from State Swazi in Africa which announced that a Zulu War had broken out in Transvaal. The Zulu nation was being led by one Cetewayo. C.C. dismissed this at the time as unfounded, the factors being unbased in reality. It now seems as if a whole portion of South Africa has slipped back into the year 1879 or thereabouts.’
Chambers, standing behind Attica Saigon Smix, passed him a note. Smix read it out. The icterus index of his face was high. His hand trembled. ‘Gentlemen, Russian troops advancing through East Rumelia are strongly attacking the Ottoman Army outside Adrianople. This report is dated 18th January 1878… Where and what is or are East Rumelia, the Ottoman Army, and Adrianople?’
‘Russians! Russian troops? This concerns me!’ Savro Palachinki exclaimed, jumping up from the table. ‘I will send a dopple in my place as soon as inhumanly possible!’
Another note passed on from Chambers.
‘Gentlemen, control yourselves. Britain has invaded Afghanistan. Remember Britain?’
Someone else was jumping up and crying out.
Another note.
‘Please, gentlemen – the Khedive of Egypt has been deposed by the Sultan, whoever those persons may be, in a communiqué dated June, 1879.’
‘Carapace! It’s spreading!’ Sue Fox cried. ‘We’ll find ourselves in the last century before we know it!’
Another note handed forward by the unflustered Chambers.
‘Please, friends – order! Montenegro has occupied Dulcigno. Does anyone know where Dulcigno is? Or Montenegro? Please?’
‘C.C. will straighten matters out!’ John Thunderbird Smith called above the din. ‘These anomalies in the functioning of the natural order cannot be tolerated.’
His last words were lost in a general hubbub of alarm, as Attica Saigon Smix announced the outbreak of war in the Pacific, Chile against Bolivia and Peru.
The little figures identifiable as Smith, Smix, Palachinki, Fox, Sent, and others glowed and gestured in a monitor screen far away, safe below the stately pile of Slavonski Brod Grad.
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