Chapter 15

Ankor Jael  blinked at Mallow out of a haggard face.  The last two days hadbeen mad, sleepless¹ ones.
"Mallow, you've  put on a beautiful show, so don't  spoil it by jumping toohigh. You  can't seriously consider running for  mayor. Mob enthusiasm is apowerful thing, but it's notoriously fickle².""Exactly!" said Mallow, grimly,  "so we must coddle it, and the best way todo that is to continue the show.""Now what?""You're to have Publis Manlio and Jorane Sutt arrested?
"What!""Just what you hear.  Have the mayor arrest them! I don't care what threatsyou use.  I control  the mob, 杅or today,  at any rate. He  won't dare facethem.""But on what charge, man?""On  the obvious  one. They've  been inciting  the priesthood of  the outerplanets to  take sides in the factional  quarrels of the Foundation. That'sillegal, by  Seldon. Charge them with 'endangering  the state.' And I don'tcare about  a conviction any more  than they did in  my case. Just get themout of circulation until I'm mayor.""It's half a year till election.""Not too  long!" Mallow was on his feet, and his  sudden grip of Jael's armwas tight. "Listen, I'd seize the government by force if I had to ?the waySalvor Hardin  did a  hundred years ago.  There's still that  Seldon crisiscoming up, and when it comes I have to be mayor and high priest. Both!"Jael's brow  furrowed³. He  said, quietly, "What's  it going to  be? Korell,after all?"Mallow  nodded, "Of  course.  They'll declare  war, eventually,  though I'mbetting it'll take another pair of years.""With nuclear ships?""What  do you  think? Those  three merchant  ships we  lost in  their spacesector  weren't knocked  over  with compressed-air  pistols. Jael,  they'regetting ships from the  Empire itself. Don't open your mouth like a fool. Isaid the  Empire! It's still there,  you know. It many  be gone here in thePeriphery but  in the Galactic center  it's still very much  alive. And onefalse move means that  it, itself, may be on our neck. That's why I must bemayor and high priest. I'm the only man who knows how to fight the crisis."Jael swallowed dryly, "How? What are you going to do?""Nothing."Jael smiled uncertainly, "Really! All of that!"But Mallow's  answer was incisive,  "When I'm boss of  this Foundation, I'mgoing to do nothing. One hundred percent of nothing, and that is the secretof this crisis."

1 sleepless   

adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的

参考例句：

• The situation gave her many sleepless nights.这种情况害她一连好多天睡不好觉。
• One evening I heard a tale that rendered me sleepless for nights.一天晚上，我听说了一个传闻，把我搞得一连几夜都不能入睡。

2 fickle   

adj.(爱情或友谊上)易变的，不坚定的

参考例句：

• Fluctuating prices usually base on a fickle public's demand.物价的波动往往是由于群众需求的不稳定而引起的。
• The weather is so fickle in summer.夏日的天气如此多变。

3 furrowed   

v.犁田，开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Overhead hung a summer sky furrowed with the rash of rockets. 头顶上的夏日夜空纵横着急疾而过的焰火。 来自辞典例句
• The car furrowed the loose sand as it crossed the desert. 车子横过沙漠，在松软的沙土上犁出了一道车辙。 来自辞典例句