Chapter 74 Chapter Fifty-Nine

Dors had first recognized the identity of the man—perhaps because she had been expecting his presence. "Hummin," she said, "thank goodness you found us. I contacted you just when I realized that I couldn't keep Harry from this—" She held up her hands and spread them dramatically to the left and right: "— -everything." Hummin smiled slightly, but it couldn't change his naturally serious expression.In addition, he seemed to be wearing a faint weariness. "Honey," he said, "I'm busy with other things, and I can't always be on call. When I get here, I'll have to put on the jacket and straps first, like you two, man. Not to mention the leather hat, and then I have to come here. If I came earlier, I might have prevented all this, but I believe I am not too late."

Sun Lord Fourteen seemed to be in a painful shock, and it took him a while to come back to his senses. He said in a no longer serious and deep tone: "How did you get in here, Humming, a foreign man?" "It's not easy, senator, but I'm a very persuasive man, as the foreign woman Venabili likes to say. Some of the inhabitants here remember who I am and what I've done for Myrksen in the past, and besides —I'm still an honorary brother, have you forgotten, Sun Lord Fourteen?" The senator replied: "I have not forgotten, but even the best memories cannot withstand the impact of certain actions. There is no more serious crime than a foreign man should come here and bring a foreign woman with him." , everything you have done for us is not enough. My people are not ungrateful people, we will compensate you in other ways. But these two people must die, or send them to the emperor."

"I'm here too." Hummin said calmly, "Isn't this also a crime?" "For you," Sun Lord Fourteen said, "for you personally, you are an honorary brother. I can... forgive... once, but not these two." "Because you expect a reward from the Emperor? Some kind of favor? Some kind of concession? Have you made contact with him? Or, more likely, with his chief executive, Itu Demozir?" "It's not something we should be discussing." "Your words are tantamount to acquiescing. Well, I don't ask what benefits the emperor promised to give you, but it can't be too much. In this declining age, he doesn't have much to give you. Let me I have a condition for you, did these two tell you that they are scholars?"

"I said so." "Indeed, they are not lying. The alien woman is a historian, and the alien man is a mathematician. They are trying to combine their talents to create a mathematics dealing with history. They call this joint project 'Psychological Historiography'." Sun Lord Fourteen said: "I know nothing about this psychohistory, and I don't want to know. I have no interest in it or in any other knowledge of you foreigners." "Even so," said Hummin, "I suggest you listen to me." Hummin spends about fifteen minutes describing in condensed language the possibilities of psychohistory—the organization of the natural laws of society (he always changes his tone whenever he mentions those laws, so that it is easy to hear them). Knowing that there are quotation marks), and with the help of a lot of chance, it is possible to predict the future.

After he finished speaking, Sun Lord Fourteen, who had been listening blankly, said, "I think this is an extremely impossible fantasy." The sad-faced Shelton seemed to have something to say, no doubt to make a point.But Hummin's hand that had been lightly resting on Seldon's knee suddenly tightened at this moment, with obvious intentions. Hummin said, "It's possible, Senator, but the Emperor doesn't think so. After all, the Emperor himself is quite a honest man. I mean Demerzel, and I don't need to tell you about his ambitions. They are very I want these two scholars, which is why I brought them here for refuge. I never believe that you will work for Demerzel and send two scholars to him."

"They committed a felony..." "Yes, we know, Senator. But the charge was made. It's just because you chose to do it. It doesn't do any real harm at all." "It does harm to our faith, to our deepest feelings..." "But think about it, if psychohistory fell into Demerzel's hands, what kind of harm would it do? Yes, I admit that maybe nothing will happen, but let's say there is a result, and the Empire The government makes good use of it--the ability to predict what will happen in the future; the ability to grasp the unique foresight, and to take countermeasures under its guidance. In fact, the countermeasures they adopt must be another development that the monarchy wants to develop. kind of future."

"What kind of future?" "The future that the empire wants to develop will be extremely centralized, Senator, do you still have doubts about this? You know that for the past few centuries, the empire has been steadily moving towards decentralization. Today, many worlds are only in the Verbal recognition of the emperor, but in practice self-government. Even here on Trantor, there is a fact of decentralization of powers. Most of the affairs of Myqusen are free from imperial interference. This is just one example. You rule as a patriarch , with no Imperial officials around to oversee your actions and decisions. How long do you think this situation can last if people like Demerzir are allowed to adjust the future to their liking?"

"Still baseless speculation," Sunlord Fourteen said, "but I must admit, it does sound disturbing." "On the other hand, assuming that these two academics can do their work—which you might think is unlikely, but that's just a hypothesis—then they'll surely remember that you did something to They made an exception. Then we can easily imagine that they will figure out how to arrange a future, for example, allowing Myqusheng to get a world of his own, a world that can be transformed into a world that is very similar to the lost world. Even if the two Forget your kindness, and I will remind them from the side."

"This..." Sun Lord Fourteen faltered. "Well," said Hummin, "it's not difficult to determine what's going on in your heart. Of all the foreigners, Demerzel is the one you least believe. Although psychohistory has little chance of success ( If I hadn't been honest with you, I wouldn't have admitted it), but it's not zero; if it could help you rebuild the lost world, what more would you ask for? Wouldn't you want to take a chance on that? Okay La! I promise you—you know I never promise anything lightly. It's better to let these two go and give your heart's desire a chance than nothing at all."

After a while of silence, Sun Lord Fourteen sighed: "I don't know what's going on, Humming, a foreign man, but every time we meet, you always persuade me to do something that I don't really want to do." "Did I ever mislead you, Senator?" "The conditions you put forward, the chances have never been so small." "And the possible payoff is so high that the two even out." Rizhu Fourteen nodded: "You are right. Take these two people away, take them away from Myqusheng, and never let me see them again. Unless one day... But that is definitely not in my lifetime. "

"Perhaps so, Elder, but your people have waited patiently for nearly twenty thousand years. Don't you refuse to wait another... maybe two hundred years?" "I don't want to wait for a moment, but no matter how much time it takes, my people will wait." As he stood up, he said, "I'll tell everyone to get out of the way, let's take them away!"