The Last Number
Galileo's Mistake
Would It Not Be Better?
Here is my conversation with I-330, which took place in the Ancient
House yesterday in the midst of loud noise, among colors which
stifled the logical course of my thoughts, red, green, bronze,
saffron-yellow, orange colors.... And all the while under the
motionless marble smile of that snub-nosed ancient poet.
I shall reproduce the conversation word by word, for it seems to
me that it may have an enormous and decisive importance for the
fate of the United State,--more than that, for the fate of the
universe. Besides, reading it, you my unknown readers, may find some
justification for me. I-330, without preliminaries, at once threw
everything upon my head:
"I know that the day after tomorrow the first trial trip of the
_Integral_ is to take place. On that day we shall take possession of
it."
"What! Day after tomorrow?"
"Yes. Sit down and don't be upset. We cannot afford to lose a
minute. Among the hundreds who were arrested yesterday there are
twenty Mephis. To let pass two or three days means that they will
perish."