Fiction - Frederick Brown: "What will happen?"

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              FREDERICK BROWN

              WHAT WILL HAPPEN?..

   - Before you, gentlemen, is the first and
the only time machine, explained
to two of his colleagues, Professor Johnson. -
This is just a working model, but also
she is capable of moving objects weighing up to
three pounds five ounces for twelve minutes
to the past or future.
   The car really looked modest -
platform and two large dials.
   The professor picked up a metal cube
bic.
   “We experimented,” he said, “
with a copper cube weighing one pound and two
third of an ounce. Now I'll send it to five
minutes ahead, into the future.
   He bent over the dial and moved
zeroed the arrow.
   - Please note the time.
   Colleagues looked at their watches at once.
Professor Johnson carefully placed the cube
onto the platform, and he immediately disappeared.
   He appeared in the same place after five
minutes, second per second.
   Professor Johnson carefully took the
bic.
   - Now I'll move it five minutes
to the past.  - He moved the arrow to
another dial and looked at the clock. This-
one hour to six minutes to three. I set up the car
for three hours exactly.  This means that without
five three cube will disappear from my hand and
will be on the platform five minutes before
how I put it there.
   - I don’t understand how you can do this in this case.
put it theresaid one of the guests.
   - When I bring my hand to the platform, ku-
the bik will disappear from her and end up in my shirt
so I can put it down. Look.
   And it’s true - the cube disappeared from his palm.
   But he appeared on the platform of the machine in time -
neither.
   - Are you sure? Five minutes before
I have to put him on the platform, he's already
lies there.
   The second colleague became thoughtful, frowning
forehead
   “What will happen,” he asked, “if you
change your mind about putting the cube in its place
is now lying on the platform, you'll think twice about it
five minutes before they have to put it down
him there? There may be a paradox.
   “It’s funny...” said Professor John.
dream.  - I really didn’t think about such a thing...
riantom. Let's try it. So I don't...
   The paradox did not work out. copper cube
remained in place.
   But Professor Johnson and his colleagues, yes
and the entire universe disappeared.