Chapter 37

"Frankly," whispered Dors, "I can scarcely believe Im on Trantor."
"I take it, then, youve never seen anything like this before?" said Seldon.
"Ive only been on Trantor for two years and Ive spent much of my time at the University, so Im not exactly a world traveler. Still, Ive been here and there and Ive heard of this and that, but Ive never seen or heard of anything like this. The sameness."
Sunmaster drove along methodically and without undue¹ haste. There were other wagonlike vehicles in the roadway, all with hairless men at the controls, their bald pates² gleaming in the light.
On either side there were three-story structures, unornamented, all lines meeting at right angles, everything gray in color.
"Dreary³," mouthed Dors. "So dreary."
"Egalitarian," whispered Seldon. "I suspect no Brother can lay claim to precedence of any obvious kind over any other."
There were many pedestrians⁴ on the walkways as they passed. There were no signs of any moving corridors and no sound of any nearby Expressway.
Dors said, "Im guessing the grays are women."
"Its hard to tell," said Seldon. "The gowns hide everything and one hairless head is like another."
"The grays are always in pairs or with a white. The whites [also] walk alone and Sunmaster is a white."
"You may be right." Seldon raised his voice. "Sunmaster, I am curious."
"If you are, then ask what you wish, although I am by no means required to answer."
"We seem to be passing through a residential⁵ area. There are no signs of business establishments, industrial areas--"
"We are a farming community entirely⁶. Where are you from that you do not know this?"
"You know I am an Outworlder," Seldon said stiffly. "I have been on Trantor for only two months."
"Even so."
"But if you are a farming community, Sunmaster, how is it that we have passed no farms either?"
"On lower levels," said Sunmaster briefly⁷.
"Is Mycogen on this level entirely residential, then?"
"And on a few others. We are what you see. Every Brother and his family lives in equivalent quarters; every cohort in its own equivalent community; all have the same ground-car and all Brothers drive their own. There are no servants and none are at ease through the labor⁸ of others. None may glory over another."
Seldon lifted his shielded eyebrows⁹ at Dors and said, "But some of the people wear white, while some wear gray."
"That is because some of the people are Brothers and some are Sisters."
"And we?"
"You are a tribesman and a guest. You and your"--he paused and then said--"companion will not be bound by all aspects of Mycogenian life. Nevertheless, you will wear a white gown and your companion will wear a gray one and you will live in special guest quarters like our own."
"Equality for all seems a pleasant ideal, but what happens as your numbers increase? Is the pie, then, cut into smaller pieces?"
"There is no increase in numbers. That would necessitate¹⁰ an increase in area, which the surrounding tribesmen would not allow, or a change for the worse in our way of life."
"But if--" began Seldon.
Sunmaster cut him off. "It is enough, Tribesman Seldon. As I warned you, I am not compelled to answer. Our task, which we have promised our friend Tribesman Hummin, is to keep you secure as long as you do not violate our way of life. That we will do, but there it ends. Curiosity is permitted, but it wears out our patience quickly if persisted in."
Something about his tone allowed no more to be said and Seldon chafed¹¹.
Hummin, for all his help, had clearly mis-stressed the matter. It was not security that Seldon sought. At least, not security alone. He needed information too and without that he could not--and would not--stay here.

1 undue   

adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的

参考例句：

• Don't treat the matter with undue haste.不要过急地处理此事。
• It would be wise not to give undue importance to his criticisms.最好不要过分看重他的批评。

2 pates   

n.头顶，（尤指）秃顶，光顶( pate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Fat paunches have lean pates. 大腹便便，头脑空空。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Whether the therapy works on human pates remains to be seen. 这种疗法是否对人的头部有效，尚待进一步观察。 来自互联网

3 dreary   

adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的

参考例句：

• They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
• She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。

4 pedestrians   

n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Several pedestrians had come to grief on the icy pavement. 几个行人在结冰的人行道上滑倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Pedestrians keep to the sidewalk [footpath]! 行人走便道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 residential   

adj.提供住宿的；居住的；住宅的

参考例句：

• The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
• The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。

6 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

7 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

8 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

9 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

10 necessitate   

v.使成为必要，需要

参考例句：

• Your proposal would necessitate changing our plans.你的提议可能使我们的计划必须变更。
• The conversion will necessitate the complete rebuilding of the interior.转变就必需完善内部重建。

11 chafed   

v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的过去式 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒

参考例句：

• Her wrists chafed where the rope had been. 她的手腕上绳子勒过的地方都磨红了。
• She chafed her cold hands. 她揉搓冰冷的双手使之暖和。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》