rr.eastofealing-第33部分

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he　fields　of　time。　Also；　and　by　no　means　the　smallest　part　of　it；　was　the　infinite　variety　of　puns　and　proverbs　that　could　be　drawn　from　the　word　'time'。　Such　things　must　never　be　overlooked。　'Time；　gentlemen；　please；'　said　Norman；　tittering　loudly　to　himself。　He　flicked　a　random　selection　of　likely…looking　switches　in　the　hope　that　he　might　get　some　clue　as　to　why　he　had　fitted　them。　One　brought　his　old　Bush　Radiogram　bucketing　into　life；　'It's　time　for　old　time；'　sang　a　disembodied　voice。　Norman　creased　up。　He　was　having　the　time　of　his　life。
　The　shopkeeper　straightened　his　back　and　scratched　at　his　head　with　the　end　of　his　screwdriver。　It　did　all　look　about　finished　really。　He　could　always　tighten　up　the　odd　bolt；　or　give　the　gleaming　brasswork　another　polish；　but　apart　from　these　niceties　it　looked　very　much　plete。　'And　not　before　time；'　chuckled　Norman；　making　nudging　notions　towards　an　imaginary　panion。
　The　sounds　of　sharp　tapping　suddenly　drew　his　attention。　Someone；　or　something；　was　knocking　upon　the　barricaded　shop…door。　An　icy　hand　clutched　at　the　shopkeeper's　heart。　Of　course；　it　could　be　just　a　customer　anxious　to　pay　his　newspaper　bill？　Well；　it　could　be。
　The　Lateinos　and　Romiith　puter　scan　monitored　Norman's　infra…red　image　as　it　dithered　about　in　the　crowded　kitchenette。　The　sensors　gauged　the　increase　in　his　pulse　rate　and　analysed　the　sweat　particles　which　broke　out　on　his　forehead。　It　also　relayed　this　information　instantly　to　the　shopkeeper's　mirror　image；　which　was　even　now　rapping　left…handedly　upon　the　door。　A　cruel　smile　appeared　upon　the　duplicate's　face　as　it　turned　and　strode　purposefully　away；　bound　for　the　backyard　wall。
　Norman　gnawed　upon　his　knuckles。　Now　would　certainly　seem　like　an　ideal　time　for　a　bit　of　a　test　run。　He　climbed　rapidly　into　the　driving　seat　and　fastened　his　safety　belt；　as　he　had　no　way　of　telling　exactly　which　way　up　time　was　when　you　travelled　through　it　he　did　not　wish　to　fall　out。　Carefully；　he　swung　a　pair　of　great　calliper　arms；　heavily…burdened　with　switch…boxes　and　levers；　about　him；　and；　turning　the　ignition　key；　put　the　machine　into　reverse。　Lights　pulsed　and　flashed；　and　the　great　brazen　wheel　tumbled　on　above　him；　a　ring　of　sparks　encircled　the　machine　in　a　twinkling　halo。　The　sudden　crash　of　brickwork　informed　the　aspiring　time　traveller　that　an　unwele　visitor　had　just　entered　his　backyard。　The　buzzing　and　hammering　of　the　mechanism　increased　at　a　goodly　rate；　but　to　Norman's　dismay　he　did　not　appear　to　be　going　anywhere；　either　backwards；　or　forwards；　or　even　upside　down。　'Get　a　move　on；'　shouted　the　distraught　shopkeeper；　thumbing　switches　and　squinting　up　at　the　kitchen　clock　in　the　hope　of　a　fluctuation。　The　machine　shook　and　shivered。　The　lights　flashed　and　the　engine　roared。　The　sounds　of　splintering　woodwork　as　the　kitchen　door　parted　pany　with　its　hinges　were　swallowed　up　in　the　cacophony。
　Norman's　fearsome　replica　stood　in　the　doorway　clearing　its　throat　and　rubbing　its　hands　together。
　Norman　flung　levers　in　all　directions　and　waggled　the　joystick。　The　creature　stalked　towards　him　wearing　a　most　unpleasant　expression。　It　reached　down　slowly　and　grasped　one　of　the　runners；　meaning　to　up…end　the　whole　caboodle。　Norman　cowered　back　in　his　seat；　kicking　at　any　levers　which　lay　beyond　his　reach。　The　creature　strained　at　the　runner　but　the　thing　would　not　shift。　Norman　stared　up　at　the　great　wheel　spinning　above；　its　gyroscopic　effect　was　such　that　the　machine　could　not　possibly　be　overturned。　The　robot；　being　Norman　to　its　finger　ends；　twigged　this　almost　instantaneously；　and　abandoned　this　futile　pursuit　to　deal　with　matters　more　directly。　Its　hands　stretched　towards　Norman's　throat。　The　wee　lad　shrank　away；　burbling　for　mercy。　The　demon　double　clawed　towards　him；　its　eyes　blazing　hatred；　and　its　lips　drawn　back　from　gnashing；　grinding　teeth；　the　talons　were　an　inch　from　Norman's　throat。　Norman　unceremoniously　wet　himself。　Not　the　wisest　thing　to　do　when　surrounded　by　so　much　unearthed　electrical　apparatus。
　'Oooooooooooh！'　Norman's　voice　rose　to　an　operatic　soprano　as　the　charge　caught　him　squarely　in　the　nuts；　arched　up　his　backbone　and　shot　out　through　the　top　of　his　head；　setting　his　barnet　ablaze。　A　great　jolt　rocked　the　machine；　sparks　cascaded　roman　candle　style　from　every　corner；　and　the　humming　and　throbbing　rose　to　a　deafening　crescendo。　As　if　suddenly　alert　to　the　possibility　of　imminent　explosion　the　robot　drew　back　its　hands。　It　dropped　them　once　more　to　the　runner　then　straightened　up　and　backed　towards　the　door。　Norman　batted　at　his　cranial　bonfire　and　squinted　through　the　now　rising　smoke。　To　his　amazement　he　saw　the　creature　back　away　through　the　doorway　and　the　shattered　kitchen…door　rise　magically　behind　it；　to　slap　back　into　its　mountings；　pristine　and　undamaged。　Norman's　eyes　flew　towards　the　kitchen　clock。　The　second　hand　was　belting　round　the　face　like　a　propeller。　It　was　travelling　anti…clockwise。　'Ha　ha　ha　ha　ha　ha。'　Norman　clapped　his　hands　together　and　bounced　up　and　down　in　his　seat；　oblivious　to　his　scrambled　goolies　and　smouldering　top…knot。
　He　was　travelling　back　in　time！
　The　second　hand　was　gathering　speed；　increasing　to　a　blur；　followed　now　by　the　minute　and　the　hour。　The　kitchenette　began　to　grow　vague　and　fuzzy　and　then　in　a　flash　it　vanished。
　The　kitchenette　door　tore　from　its　hinges　and　crashed　down　on　the　linoleum。　Norman's　duplicate　stood　horribly　framed　in　the　doorway；　staring　into　the　fog　of　smoke　which　now　filled　the　otherwise　empty　room。　A　look　of　perplexity　swept　over　the　robot　shopkeeper's　face。　Data　retrieval　and　logic　modification　channels　whirred　and　cross…meshed；　and　finally　spelt　out　absolutely　sweet　bugger　all。　Which　certainly　served　them　right。
　
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　Norman　held　fast　to　his　seat　and　stared　forward　into　the　darkness。　Strange　lights　welled　up　before　him；　swung　past　to　either　side；　and　vanished　away　behind。　He　experienced　no　sensation　of　motion；　it　was　as　if　he　was　somehow　travelling　outside　of　space　and　time　altogether。　He　was　in　limbo。　Norman　looked　at　his　watch。　It　had　stopped。　He　scrutinized　the　date　counter　he　had　optimistically　screwed　on　to　one　of　the　enclosing　calliper　arms；　a　tangle　of　wires　dangled　from　beneath　it。　He　had　forgotten　to　link　the　thing　up。　Where　was　he；　and　more　importantly　when　was　he？　He　might　have　been　travelling　for　an　hour　or　a　year　or　a　century。　He　had　no　way　of　telling。　He　had　best　put　the　machine　out　of　gear　and　cruise　to　a　halt　before　he　slipped　back　too　far。　The　idea　of　finding　himself　trampled　on　by　a　dinosaur　was　most　unappealing。
　A　terrible　fear　took　a　grip　upon　his　heart。　Exactly　what　would　he　find　when　he　stopped？　He　could　wind　up　in　the　middle　of　Rorke's　Drift　with　the　Zulus　on　the　attack。　Or　even　in　the　sea　or　inside　the　heart　of　a　mountain。　There　was　no　way　of　telling。　Perhaps　if　he　slowed　down　just　a　bit　he　could　spy　out　a　safe　place　to　land。　Norman's　hand　hovered　over　the　controls；　a　look　of　imbecility　folding　his　face　in　half。　He　had　pulled　off　The　Big　One　this　time　and　no　mistake；　but　where　was　it　going　to　get　him？　In　big　big　trouble；　that　was　where。　Norman　did　his　best　to　weigh　up　the　pros　and　cons。　Could　he　get　killed　in　the　past　before　he　had　even　been　born？　Was　such　a　thing　possible？　The　situation　he　was　now　in　lent　sufficient　weight　to　the　conviction　that　nothing　was　impossible。　The　words　of　the　great　Jack　Vance　filled　his　head；　'In　a　situation　of　infinity；　every　possibility　no　matter　how　remote　must　find　physical　expression。'　He　had　that　sewn　into　a　sampler　over　his　bed。
　It　was　all　too　much　for　the　shopkeeper　and　he　slumped　dejectedly　over　the　controls　and　grizzled　quietly；　resigning　himself　to　oblivion。　What　had　he　done？　What　in　the　name　of　dear　Mother　Earth　had　he　done？
　'Norman；'　a　voice　called　to　him　from　out　of　the　void。　'Norman。'
　'Who's　that？'　Norman　squinted　into　the　darkness。　'I　know　that　voice。'
　'Norman；'　the　voice　grew　louder。　'Halt　the　apparatus；　you　will　slip　beyond　reach。'
　Norman　hammered　at　the　controls；　he　tore　the　ignition　key　from　the　dashboard；　and　a　sudden　rush　of　air　buffeted　him　back　in　his　seat。　Light　popped　and　flashed　about　him；　the　machine　rattled　and　shuddered　and　with　a　great　sigh；　daylight