Chapter 14 Chapter Thirteen

Maybe Seldon doubted whether his strategy would work, maybe he worried that it would be self-defeating, maybe he was full of doubts about whether Richie would be able to entrust the important task, but there was one thing he never doubted—it should be said that Certainly—that was how Dors would react when she knew this fait accompli.And he was not disappointed—maybe this word can express his mood at the moment.However, he was still disappointed in one thing, that is, Dors did not roar like he had imagined amidst the fright and anger, and he was already prepared to resist this kind of attack.But how did he know?After all, she was different from ordinary women, and he had never seen her really lose her temper.Maybe she didn't have a temper in her - or what he thought was a temper.She just stared at him coldly, and complained in a low voice: "You sent him to Dar District? Alone?"

He spoke softly, slightly suspiciously.The voice was so calm that Seldon felt a moment of fear, and after a while he said decisively: "I have no other choice. This is necessary." "Then let me understand. You sent him to that den of thieves? That garden of sin?" "Dors! I'm offended you're talking like that. I thought only a bigot would talk like that." "You deny my description of the Dar district?" "Of course. There are criminals and slums in Dar. I know that very well. We all know that. But it's not all in Dar. In fact, every district has criminals and slums, including Royal City and Sturt Erlin District."

"But to a different degree, isn't it? A one and a ten are very different after all. If all the worlds were crime-ridden, if all the districts were crime-ridden, Dal would be the worst of them all, wouldn't it? You have computers. Check the stats." "You don't have to look it up. The Dal is the poorest part of Trantor, and there's an absolute correlation between poverty and misery and crime. I admit it." "You admit it! And you send him to that kind of place alone? You can accompany him, or let me go with him, or let him take five or six classmates with him. I'm sure they will be happy to go It’s a period of relief from the busy and busy study life.”

"What I want him to do needs him to do it alone." "What do you want him to do?" Seldon remained silent.Dors said, "Is that so? You don't trust me?" "It's an all-or-nothing gamble. I can only take the risk alone. I can't trap you or anyone else." "But it's not you who's taking the risk now. Poor Ricky." "He's taking no risks," Seldon said impatiently. "He's twenty years old, young and vigorous, as strong as a tree—I'm not talking about the ones here on Trantor that grow on glass. Small saplings under the cover. I mean the great trees that grow in the forest of Helikon. And he is a gladiator, and those Dahl are no match for him."

"You and your gladiatorial skills." Dors said, her tone cold and unfrozen at all, "Do you think this will solve all problems? Those Dahls carry knives. Everyone has them. And blasters, I'm sure .” "I don't know what kind of blaster they have. The law is pretty strict about it. As for the knife, I'm sure Ricky has one himself. He even carries a knife here on campus, strictly speaking. Says it's against the law. Do you think he doesn't carry a knife in Dar?" Dors was speechless. Seldon fell silent for a moment, too, and then he decided it was time to reassure Dors.He said: "Look, I can tell you something more. I hope he will go to see Qiao Ruonan, and that person will also go to Dar District."

"Oh? Then what do you expect Ricky to do? Make Qiao Ruonan change his ways and send him back to McGann District?" "Come on. Seriously. If you continue to have this sarcastic attitude, there's no point in discussing it." He turned his face away, looking out the window at the blue-gray sky under the dome. "What I expect him to do"—his voice trembled now—"is to save the Empire." "Indeed. This is easier to do." Seldon's voice was firm. "That's what I expected. You can't do anything about it. DeMozel can't do anything about it. He kind of said to me that it's up to me to figure it out. And that's what I'm fighting for right now. , which is exactly what I sent Ricky to Dal. After all, you know he has the ability to inspire camaraderie in others. It worked for us, and I'm sure it would work for Jo Ruonan. If I were That's right, then everything will work out."

Dors' eyes widened mockingly. "Are you going to tell me you're being guided by psychohistory?" "No. I'm not going to lie to you. I haven't gotten to the point where I can be guided by psychohistory, but as Amarel often talks about intuitions—I have my intuitions, too." "Intuition! What's that? Define it!" "Simply put, intuition is the unique art of the human mind to derive correct answers from inherently incomplete or even misleading data." "And you got the correct answer?" Seldon insisted, "Yes." However, in his own heart, he had doubts that he dared not tell Dors.What if Ricky's charm wears off?Or, worse, what if his self-awareness as a Dahl became too strong?