Chapter 8 Chapter Four

Appearing in front of the emperor, Itu Demozil glanced at the emperor with moderate respect: "Your Majesty, you almost lost your temper." Kryon raised his head and squeezed out a forced smile: "Well, that's right, that man really disappointed me." "But he didn't make promises beyond his ability." "He has no ability at all." "No promises made either, Your Majesty." "What a disappointment." "Perhaps more than a disappointment," Demmerzel said. "This man is a lost shell, Your Majesty." "A lost what, Demerzel? You're always fond of queer phrases. What's a cannonball?"

Demerzel said in a serious tone: "This is just a saying I heard when I was young, Your Majesty. The Empire is full of strange words, some of which Trantor has never heard, as if some Trantor People from other places can’t understand the same idioms.” "Are you here to remind me of the vastness of the empire? What do you mean by saying that man is a lost shell?" "It's just that he could have committed an inadvertent mistake that caused significant harm. He didn't know his power, or his importance." "You deduced that, didn't you, Demerzel?" "Yes, Your Majesty. He's a country boy, and doesn't know Trantor and the ways of Trantor. He's never been to our planet before, and he can't act like an educated man, like a courtier, for example, but he How dare you talk back to you."

"Why not? I allow him to speak up. I cut red tape and treat him as an equal." "Not really, Your Majesty. You're not born to treat people as equals, you're used to calling the shots. Even if you try to put the other person at ease, very few are able to do so. Most will become dumb and worse Your performance is flattery and flattery, but that person talks back to you." "Well, you can think that's great, Demerzel, but I don't like him." Kryon seemed very dissatisfied in his heart, "Have you noticed? He didn't try to explain his mathematical theory to me at all, As if he knew I couldn't understand a word."

"You do not understand, Sire. You are not a mathematician, nor a scientist of any kind, nor an artist. There are people who know more than you do in a great many fields of knowledge, and it is their business to use them Knowledge serves you. You are the Emperor, as much as all their specialties combined." "Really? I don't care if it's an old man who's spent years accumulating knowledge that makes me feel like I don't know anything about something. But this man, Seldon, is only my age. How could he know that? many?" "He doesn't have to learn leadership qualities, he doesn't have to learn how to make decisions that affect the lives and deaths of others."

"Sometimes, Demerzel, I wonder if you're laughing at me." "Your Majesty?" Demerzel said reproachfully. "But come on, back to that lost cannonball you were talking about. Why do you think he's a dangerous man? He seems to me like an innocent country boy." "Yes, but he has that mathematical theory." "He said it didn't work at all." "You thought it might be useful, and after you explained it to me, I thought so too, so other people might think the same. Now that the mathematician has concentrated his mind on the problem, his own thoughts might as well. Change. Who knows. He might figure out a way to use the math. If he succeeds, having a way of predicting the future, no matter how nebulous, is tantamount to a great deal of power. Even if he doesn't want power himself ——I always think that there are very few people who are so self-controlled, and he may be used by others."

"I tried to use him, but he wouldn't." "He didn't think about it, and maybe he will now. If he doesn't like being used by you, isn't it possible that he can be persuaded by—say—the superintendent of Wye?" "Why would he be willing to help the Mayor of Wyho instead of us?" "As he explained just now, individual emotions and behaviors are difficult to predict." Kryon showed displeasure, and sat there thinking for a long time. "Do you really think it's possible for him to develop his psychohistory to the point where it's really useful? He's pretty sure he can't."

"After some time, he may decide that it was a mistake to deny the possibility." Kryon said, "So, I guess I should keep him." "No, my lord," said Denmohol, "your instincts were right when you let him go. To imprison him, however indistinctly, would arouse his resentment and despair. help him further his theories, nor make him willing to serve us. It is better to let him go, as you have done, but keep him forever tied by an invisible cord. Then we will You can be sure that he will not be used by your enemies, Your Majesty, and you can be sure that when the time is right and he has developed this scientific theory, we can take back the rope and draw him into the palace. At that time, we will You can...be tougher."

"But what if he is captured by my enemies - or should I say the enemies of the Empire, because after all I am equal to the Empire, or if he volunteers to serve the enemy? I don't think that is impossible, you know Bar." "Your concerns are not wrong. I will make sure that this does not happen, but if this happens despite my best efforts, it is better to let no one have it than to let the wrong person have it." Kryon looked quite disturbed: "I leave this matter entirely in your hands, Demerzel, but I hope we don't rush it. In any case, he may just be a comprador of theoretical science and have no real use at all. .”

"Very likely, Sire. But to be on the safe side, it's best to pretend that this person is, or might be, important. If we find out, in the end, that we've only wasted a little time worrying about an insignificant character, There will be no loss other than that. But if we find out in the end that we have overlooked an extremely important person, then we will lose the whole galaxy." "That's fine," Kryon said, "but I'm sure I don't have to know the details if they're really unpleasant." Demmerzel said, "Let's hope that doesn't turn out that way."