Chapter 33

Dors had urged Seldon to sleep a bit. They would be leaving halfway¹ between lights out and lights on, under cover of "night," while the rest of the University slept. She insisted he could still use a little rest.
"And have you sleep on the floor again?" Seldon asked.
She shrugged². "The bed will only hold one and if we both try to crowd into it, neither of us will get much sleep."
He looked at her hungrily for a moment and said, "Then Ill sleep on the floor this time."
"No, you wont³. I wasnt the one who lay in a coma⁴ in the sleet⁵."
As it happened, neither slept. Though they darkened the room and though the perpetual hum of Trantor was only a drowsy⁶ sound in the relatively⁷ quiet confines of the University, Seldon found that he had to talk. He said, "Ive been so much trouble to you, Dors, here at the University. Ive even been keeping you from your work. Still, Im sorry Ill have to leave you."
Dors said, "You wont leave me. Im coming with you. Hummin is arranging a leave of absence for me."
Seldon said, dismayed, "I cant⁸ ask you to do that."
"Youre not. Hummins asking it. I must guard you. After all, I faded in connection with Upperside and should make up for it."
"I told you. Please dont feel guilty about that.--Still, I must admit I would feel more comfortable with you at my side. If I could only be sure I wasnt interfering⁹ with your life ..."
Dors said softly, "Youre not, Hari. Please go to sleep."
Seldon lay silent for a while, then whispered, "Are you sure Hummin can really arrange everything, Dors?"
Dors said, "Hes a remarkable¹⁰ man. Hes got influence here at the University and everywhere else, I think. If he says he can arrange for an indefinite leave for me, Im sure he can. He is a most persuasive¹¹ man."
"I know," said Seldon. "Sometimes I wonder what he really wants of me."
"What he says," said Dors. "Hes a man of strong and idealistic ideas and dreams."
"You sound as though you know him well, Dors."
"Oh yes, I know him well."
"Intimately?"
Dors made an odd noise. "Im not sure what youre implying, Hari, but, assuming the most insolent¹² interpretation-- No, I dont know him intimately. What business would that be of yours anyway?"
"Im sorry," said Seldon. "I just didnt want, inadvertently, to be invading someone elses--"
"Property? Thats even more insulting. I think you had better go to sleep."
"Im sorry again, Dors, but I cant sleep. Let me at least change the subject. You havent explained what the Mycogen Sector¹³ is. Why will it be good for me to go there? Whats it like?"
"Its a small sector with a population of only about two million--if I remember correctly. The thing is that the Mycogenians cling tightly to a set of traditions about early history and are supposed to have very ancient records not available to anyone else. Its just possible they would be of more use to you in your attempted examination of pre-Imperial times than orthodox historians might be. All our talk about early history brought the sector to mind."
"Have you ever seen their records?"
"No. I dont know anyone who has."
"Can you be sure that the records really exist, then?"
"Actually, I cant say. The assumption among non-Mycogenians is that theyre a bunch of madcaps, but that may be quite unfair. They certainly say they have records, so perhaps they do. In any case, we would be out of sight there. The Mycogenians keep strictly¹⁴ to themselves.--And now please do go to sleep."
And somehow Seldon finally did.

1 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

2 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 wont   

adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯

参考例句：

• He was wont to say that children are lazy.他常常说小孩子们懒惰。
• It is his wont to get up early.早起是他的习惯。

4 coma   

n.昏迷，昏迷状态

参考例句：

• The patient rallied from the coma.病人从昏迷中苏醒过来。
• She went into a coma after swallowing a whole bottle of sleeping pills.她吃了一整瓶安眠药后就昏迷过去了。

5 sleet   

n.雨雪；v.下雨雪，下冰雹

参考例句：

• There was a great deal of sleet last night.昨夜雨夹雪下得真大。
• When winter comes,we get sleet and frost.冬天来到时我们这儿会有雨夹雪和霜冻。

6 drowsy   

adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的

参考例句：

• Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。
• I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。

7 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

8 cant   

n.斜穿，黑话，猛扔

参考例句：

• The ship took on a dangerous cant to port.船只出现向左舷危险倾斜。
• He knows thieves'cant.他懂盗贼的黑话。

9 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

10 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

11 persuasive   

adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的

参考例句：

• His arguments in favour of a new school are very persuasive.他赞成办一座新学校的理由很有说服力。
• The evidence was not really persuasive enough.证据并不是太有说服力。

12 insolent   

adj.傲慢的，无理的

参考例句：

• His insolent manner really got my blood up.他那傲慢的态度把我的肺都气炸了。
• It was insolent of them to demand special treatment.他们要求给予特殊待遇，脸皮真厚。

13 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

14 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。