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Sunday, February 24, 2019

Forward the Foundation Chapter 15

Part IIIDors VenabiliVENABILI, DORS-The life of Hari Seldon is well encrust with legend and uncertainty, so that sm each-minded look forward to keep ons of ever obtaining a biography that dismiss be thoroughly f typifyual. by chance the most bedevil aspect of his life deals with his consort, Dors Venabili. There is no information whatever c at one timerning Dors Venabili, neverthe s write down for her birth on the world of Cinna, prior to her arrival at Streeling University to change state a member of the history faculty. Shortly later on that, she met Seldon and remained his consort for twenty-eight historic period. If eachthing, her life is more interlarded with legend than Seldons is. There are quite unimagined tales of her strength and speed and she was widely spoken of, or perhaps verbalise of, as The Tiger Wo objet dart. Still more puzzling than her coming, however, is her liberation, for afterward a certain time, we hear of her no more and thither is no inde x number as to what happened.Her business office as a historian is evidenced by her change by reversals on- Encyclopedia Galactica1Wanda was almost eight years sexagenarian now, dismissal by Galactic Standard Time -as everyone did. She was quite the curt lady-grave in creationner, with straight light-brown hair. Her eyes were blue only when were darkening and she result well end with the brown eyes of her father.She sat there, lost in thought. Sixty.That was the number that preoccupied her. Grandfather was going to hit a natal day and it was going to be his sixtieth-and sixty was a large number. It bothered her because yesterday she had had a incompetent dream ab bug out it.She went in search of her mother. She would keep screen to ingest.Her mother was non hard to find. She was clacking to Grandfather- closely the birthday surely. Wanda hesitated. It wouldnt be sm each to ask in front of Grandfather.Her mother had no trouble whatever sensing Wandas consternation. She utter, One minute, Hari, and bothows agnize whats bothering Wanda. What is it, dear?Wanda pulled at her hand. no here, Mother. Private.Manella glowering to Hari Seldon. See how early it starts? Private sleep to perk uphers. Private problems. Of course, Wanda, sh solely we go to your room?Yes, Mother. Wanda was clearly relieved.Hand in hand, they went and then her mother state, Now what is the problem, Wanda?Its Grandfather, Mother.Grandfather I cant imagine him doing whateverthing to bother you.Well, he is. Wandas eyes filled with sudden tears. Is he going to die?Your grandfather? What regulate that into your head, Wanda?Hes going to be sixty. Thats so grizzly.No, it isnt. Its not young, precisely its not old, either. People break to be eighty, ninety, nonetheless a hundred-and your grandfather is strong and healthy. Hell live a long time. atomic number 18 you sure? She was sniffing.Manella grasped her daughter by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. We must every(prenominal) die someday, Wanda. Ive explained that to you before. Just the tell(prenominal), we dont worry about it till the someday is lots closer. She wiped Wandas eyes gently. Grandfather is going to stay alive till youre all grown up and piss babies of your own. Youll follow. Now come back with me. I sine qua non you to talk to Grandfather.Wanda sniffed again.Seldon looked at the little girl with a harmonic expression on her return and give tongue to, What is it, Wanda? Why are you unhappy?Wanda shake her head.Seldon turned his gaze to the girls mother. Well, what is it, Manella?Manella shook her head. Shell defecate to tell you herself.Seldon sat follow up and tapped his lap. Come, Wanda. Have a seat and tell me your troubles.She obeyed and wriggled a bit, then said, Im scared.Seldon intrust his arm around her. Nothing to be scared of in your old grandfather.Manella made a fountain. Wrong word.Seldon looked up at her. Grandfather?No. Old.That seemed to break the dike. Wanda burst into tears. Youre old, Grandfather.I retrieve so. Im sixty. He bent his face down to Wandas and whispered, I dont equal it, either, Wanda. Thats why Im glad youre only septette going on eight.Your hair is white, Grandpa.It wasnt al focusings. It dependable turned white recently. uncontaminating hair mean(a)s youre going to die, Grandpa.Seldon looked shocked. He said to Manella, What is all this?I dont live, Hari. Its her own idea.I had a bad dream, said Wanda.Seldon cleared his throat. We all present bad dreams now and then, Wanda. Its good we do. Bad dreams get resign of bad thoughts and then were disclose off.It was about you dying, Grandfather.I recognise. I know. Dreams can be about dying, but that doesnt book them important. Look at me. Dont you see how alive I am-and cheerful-and laughing? Do I look as though Im dying? Tell me.N-no.There you are, then. Now you go out and play and forget all about this. Im but having a birthday and every one give have a good time. Go ahead, dear.Wanda left in causationable cheer, but Seldon motioned to Manella to stay.2Seldon said, Wherever do you think Wanda got such(prenominal) a notion?Come now, Hari. She had a Salvanian gecko that died, remember? One of her friends had a father who died in an accident and she sees deaths on holovision all the time. It is impossible for any child to be so protected as not to be aware of death. Actually I wouldnt wish her to be so protected. expiry is an es directial part of life she must learn that.I dont mean death in general, Manella. I mean my death in particular. What has put that into her head?Manella hesitated. She was very fond, indeed, of Hari Seldon. She thought, Who would not be, so how can I express this? further how could she not say this? So she said, Hari, you yourself put it into her head.I?Of course, youve been discourse for months of turning sixty and complaining loudly of growing old. The only reason heap are compensatet ing up this party is to console you.Its no fun turning sixty, said Seldon indignantly. Wait Wait Youll find out.I pass on-if Im lucky. Some people dont make it to sixty. Just the same, if turning sixty and being old are all you talk about, you end up affright an impressionable little girl.Seldon sighed and looked troubled. Im sorry, but its hard. Look at my hands. Theyre getting spot and soon theyll be gnarled. I can do hardly anything in the way of Twisting any longer. A child could probably force me to my knees.In what way does that make you different from other sixty-year-olds? At least(prenominal) your brain is working(a) as well as ever. How often have you said that thats all that counts?I know. however I miss my body.Manella said with just a touch of malice, Especially when Dors doesnt seem to get any older.Seldon said uneasily, Well yes, I suppose- He looked away, clearly un go awaying to talk about the matter.Manella looked at her father-in-law gravely. The trouble wa s, he knew nothing about children-or about people generally. It was hard to think that he had spent ten years as First pastor chthonic the old Emperor and but ended up knowing as little about people as he did.Of course, he was entirely wrapped up in this psychohistory of his, that dealt with quadrillions of people, which ultimately meant dealing with no people at all-as individuals. And how could he know about children when he had had no contact with any child turn out Raych, who had entered his life as a twelve-year-old? Now he had Wanda, who was-and would probably remain to him-an utter mystery.Manella thought all this lovingly. She had the incredible entrust to protect Hari Seldon from a world he did not understand. It was the only point at which she and her mother-in-law, Dors Venabili, met and coalesced-this desire to protect Hari Seldon.Manella had protected Seldons life ten years before. Dors, in her alien way, had considered this an invasion of her prerogative and had never quite forgiven Manella.Seldon, in his turn, had then carry outd Manellas life. She closed her eyes briefly and the whole scene returned to her, almost as though it were happening to her right now.3It was a week after the assassination of Cleon-and a horrible week it had been. any of Trantor was in chaos.Hari Seldon assuage kept his office as First Minister, but it was clear he had no power. He pealed in Manella Dubanqua.I want to thank you for providence Raychs life and my own. I havent had a chance to do so yet. wherefore with a sigh, I have scarcely had a chance to do anything this past week.Manella asked, What happened to the mad gardener?Exe cliped At once No trial I tried to save him by pointing out that he was insane. But there was no question about it. If he had through with(p) anything else, committed any other crime, his madness would have been recognized and he would have been spared. Committed-locked up and treated-but spared, nonetheless. But to kill the Emp eror- Seldon shook his head sadly.Manella said, Whats going to happen now, First Minister?Ill tell you what I think. The Entun Dynasty is finished. Cleons son will not succeed. I dont think he wants to. He fears assassination in his turn and I dont blame him one bit. It would be much better for him to retire to one of the family estates on some outer(prenominal) World and live a quiet life. Because he is a member of the over-embellished House, he will untie** allowed to do this. You and I may be less fortunate.Manella frowned. In what way, sir?Seldon cleared his throat. It is possible to argue that because you killed Gleb Andorin, he dropped his blaster, which became available to Mandell Gruber, who utilize it to kill Cleon. Therefore you bear a strong share of the state of the crime and it may horizontal be said that it was all prearranged.But thats ridiculous. I am a member of the earnest fall inment, fulfilling my duties-doing what I was consistent to do.Seldon smiled sad ly. Youre arguing rationally and rationality is not going to be in fashion for a while. Whats going to happen now, in the absence of a legitimate successor to the Imperial throne, is that we are bound to have a military establishment.(In later years, when Manella came to understand the workings of psychohistory, she wondered if Seldon had used the technique to work out what was going to happen, for the military rule certainly came to pass. At the time, however, he made no mention of his fledgling theory.)If we do have a military government, he went on, then it will be necessary for them to establish a firm rule at once, crush any signs of disaffection, act vigorously and cruelly, even in defiance of rationality and justice. If they accuse you, get by Dubanqua, of being part of a plot to kill the Emperor, you will be slaughtered, not as an act of justice but as a way of cowing the people of Trantor.For that matter, they might say that I was part of the plot, too. afterward all, I went out to greet the new gardeners when it was not my place to do so. Had I not done so, there would have been no exertion to kill me, you would not have struck back, and the Emperor would have lived. Do you see how it all fits?I cant trust they will do this.Perhaps they wont. Ill make them an offer that, just perhaps, they may not wish to dissent.What would that be?I will offer to resign as First Minister. They dont want me, they wont have me. But the fact is that I do have supporters at the Imperial Court and, even more important, people in the Outer Worlds who find me acceptable. That means that if the members of the Imperial Guard force me out, then even if they dont execute me, they will have some trouble. If, on the other hand, I resign, stating that I recollect the military government is what Trantor and the Empire needs, then I actually help them, you see? He mused a little and said, Besides, there is the little matter of psychohistory.(That was the first time Manella had ever heard the word.)Whats that?Something Im working on. Cleon believed in its powers very strongly-more strongly than I did at the time-and theres a broad feeling in the court that psychohistory is, or might be, a unchewable tool that could be made to work on the side of the government-whatever the government might be.Nor does it matter if they know nothing about the details of the science. Id or else they didnt. Lack of knowledge can increase what we might call the irrational aspect of the situation. In which case, they will let me continue working on my research as a private citizen. At least, I hope so. And that brings me to you.What about me?Im going to ask as part of the deal that you be allowed to resign from** the security establishment and that no action be taken against you for** the events in connection with the assassination. I ought to be able toBut youre public lecture about ending my career.Your career is, in any case, over. Even if the Imperial Guard doesnt up an order of execution against you, can you imagine that you will Be allowed to continue working as a security policeman?But what do I do? How do I make a living?Ill take care of that, Miss Dubanqua. In all desirelihood, Ill go back to Streeling University, with a large grant for my psychohistorical research, Im sure that I can find a place for you.Manella, round-eyed, said, Why should you-Seldon said, I cant believe youre asking. You saved Raychs life and own. Is it conceivable that I dont owe you anything?And it was as he said. Seldon resigned gracefully from the post he had held for ten years. He was given a fulsome letter of appreciation for his services by the just-formed military government, a junta led by certain members of the Imperial Guard and the gird forces. He returned to Streeling University and Manella Dubanqua, relieved of her own post as security officer, went with Seldon and his family.4Raych came in, blowing on his hands. Im all for deliberate variety in the weather. You dont want things under a dome to invariably be the same. Today though, they made it just a little too cold and worked up a wind, besides. I think its about time someone complained to weather control.I dont know that its weather controls fault, said Seldon. Its getting harder to control things in general.I know. Deterioration. Raych fleecy his thick black mustache with the back of his hand. He did that often, as though he had never quite managed to get over the few months during which he had been mustacheless in Wye. He had also put on a little weight around the middle and, overall, had come to seem very cheerful and middleclass. Even his Dahl accent had faded somewhat.He took off his light coverall and said, And hows the old birthday boy?Resenting it. Wait, wait, my son. One of these days, youll be celebrating your fortieth birthday. Well see how funny youll think that is.Not as funny as sixty. wear joking, said Manella, who had been chafing Raychs hands, trying to w arm them.Seldon spread his own hands. Were doing the wrong thing, Raych. Your wife is of the opinion that all this talk about my turning sixty has sent little Wanda into a decline over the possibility of my dying.Really? said Raych. That accounts for it, then. I stopped in to see her and she told me at once, before I even had a chance to say a word, that she had had a bad dream. Was it about your dying?Apparently, said Seldon.Well, shell get over that. No way of stopping bad dreams.Im not dismissing it that easily, said Manella. Shes brooding over it and thats not healthy. Im going to get to the bottom of this.As you say, Manella, said Raych agreeably. Youre my dear wife and whatever you say-about Wanda-goes. And he brushed his mustache again.His dear wife It hadnt been so easy to make her his dear wife. Raych remembered his mothers attitude toward the possibility. Talk about nightmares. It was he who had the periodic nightmares in which he had to face down the furious Dors Venabi li once more.5Raychs first clear memory, after emerging from his desperance-induced ordeal, was that of being shaved.He felt the vibrorazor moving along his cheek and he said weakly, Dont cut anywhere near my upper lip, barber. I want my mustache back.The barber, who had already received his instructions from Seldon held up a mirror to reassure him.Dors Venabili, who was school term at his bedside, said, Let him work, Raych. Dont excite yourself.Raychs eyes turned toward her momentarily and he was quiet. When the barber left, Dors said, How do you feel, Raych?Rotten, he muttered. Im so depressed, I cant stand it.Thats the stay effect of the desperance youve been dosed with. The effects will wash out.I cant believe it. How long has it been?Never mind. It will take time. You were pumped full of it.He looked around restlessly. Has Manella been to see me?That fair sex? (Raych was getting used to hearing Dors converse of Manella with those words and in that tone of voice.) No. Youre not fit for visitors yet. rendering the look on Raychs face, Dors quickly added, Im an exception because Im your mother, Raych. Why would you want that fair sex to see you, anyway? Youre in no condition to be seen.All the more reason to see her, muttered Raych. I want her to see me at my worst. He then turned to one side dispiritedly. I want to sleep.Dors Venabili shook her head. Later that day she said to Seldon I dont know what were going to do about Raych. Hari. Hes quite unreasonable.Seldon said, Hes not well, Dors. Give the young man a chance.He keeps muttering about that woman. Whatever her name is.Manella Dubanqua. Its not a hard name to remember.I think he wants to set up housekeeping with her. Live with her. Marry her.Seldon shrugged. Raych is thirty-old enough to make up his own mind.As his parents, we have something to say-surely.Hari sighed. And Im sure youve said it, Dors. And once youve said it, Im sure hell do as he wishes.Is that your final word? Do you intend to do nothing while he makes plans to marry a woman like that?What do you search me to do, Dors? Manella saved Raychs life. Do you expect him to forget that? She saved mine, too, for that matter.That seemed to feed Dorss anger. She said, And you also saved her. The score is even.I didnt exactly-Of course you did. The military rascals who now run the Empire would have slaughtered her if you didnt tone of voice in and sell them your resignation and your support in order to save her.Though I may have evened the score, which I dont think I have, Raych has not. And, Dors dear, I would be very careful when it came to using unfortunate equipment casualty to describe our government. These times are not going to be as easy as the times when Cleon ruled and there will always be informers to repeat what they hear you say.Never mind that. I dont like that woman. I presume that, at least, is permissible.Permissible, certainly, but of no use.Hari looked down at the floor, deep in thought. Dorss usu ally unfathomable black eyes were positively flashing in anger. Hari looked up.What Id like to know, Dors, is why? Why do you abominate Manella so? She saved our lives. If it had not been for her quick action, both Raych and I would be dead.Dors snapped back, Yes, Hari. I know that better than anyone. And if she had not been there, I would not have been able to do a thing to prevent your murder. I suppose you think I should be grateful. But every time I look at that woman, I am reminded of my failure. I know these feelings are not truly rational-and that is something I cant explain. So do not ask me to like her, Hari. I cannot.But the next day even Dors had to back down when the doctor said, Your son wishes to see a woman named Manella.Hes in no condition to see visitors, snapped Dors.On the contrary. He is. Hes doing quite well. Besides, he insists and is doing so most strenuously. I dont know that wed be wise to refuse him.So they brought in Manella and Raych greeted her effusive ly and with the first faint sign of ecstasy since he had arrived at the hospital.He made an unmistakable small movement of dismissal at Dors. Lips tightened, she left.And the day came when Raych said, Shell have me, Mom.Dors said, Do you expect me to be surprised, you foolish man? Of course shell have you. Youre her only chance, now that shes been disgraced, ousted from the security establishmentRaych said, Mom, if youre trying to lose me, this is exactly the way of doing it. Dont say things like that.Im only thinking of your welfare.Ill think of my own good, thank you. Im no ones slate to respectability-if youll stop to think of it. Im not exactly handsome. Im short. pa isnt First Minister anymore and I talk solid lower-class. Whats there for her to be proud of in me? She can do a lot better, but she wants me. And let me tell you, I want her.But you know what she is.Of course I know what she is. Shes a woman who loves me. Shes the woman I love. Thats what she is.And before you criminal in love with her, what was she? You know some of what she had to do while hush-hush in Wye you were one of her assignments. How many others were there? Are you able to live with her past? With what she did in the name of duty? Now you can spend to be idealistic. But someday you will have your first challenge with her-or your second or your nineteenth-and youll break down and say, You-**Raych shouted angrily, Dont say that When we counterbalance, Ill call her unreasonable, irrational, nagging, whining, inconsiderate-a million adjectives that will fit the situation. And shell have words for me. But theyll all be sensible words that can be withdrawn when the fight is over.You think so-but just wait till it happens.Raych had turned white. He said, Mother, youve been with let now for almost twenty years. Father is a hard man to disagree with, but there have been times when you two have argued. Ive heard you. In all those twenty years, has he ever called you by any name tha t would in any way compromise your role as human being? For that matter, have I done so? Can you conceive of me doing so now-no matter how angry I get?Dors struggled. Her face did not show emotion in quite the same way that Raychs did or Seldons would, but it was clear that she was momentarily incapable of speech.In fact, said Raych, pushing his advantage (and feeling horrible at doing so) the fact of the matter is that you are jealous because Manella saved Dads life. You dont want anyone to do that but you. Well, you had no chance to do so. Would you prefer it if Manella had not shot Andorin-if Dad had died? And me, too?Dors said in a choked voice, He insisted on going out to meet the gardeners alone. He would not allow me to come.But that wasnt Manellas fault.Is that why you want to marry her? Gratitude?No. Love.And so it was, but Manella said to Raych after the ceremony, Your mother may have attended the wedding because you insisted, Raych, but she looked like one of those thunde rclouds they sometimes send sailing under the dome.Raych laughed. She doesnt have the face to be a thundercloud. Youre just imagining it.Not at all. How will we ever get her to give us a chance?Well just be patient. Shell get over it.But Dors Venabili didnt.Two years after the wedding, Wanda was born. Dorss attitude toward the child was all Raych and Manella could have wanted, but Wandas mother remained that woman to Raychs mother.

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