His attempt to reach Sunmaster Fourteen was deflected1 by someone who insisted that Sunmaster could not be disturbed.
"Why not?" Seldon had asked waspishly.
"Obviously, there is no need to answer that question," came back a cold voice.
"We were not brought here to be prisoners," said Seldon with equal coldness. "Nor to starve."
"Im sure you have a kitchen and ample supplies of food."
"Yes, we do," said Seldon. "And I do not know how to use the kitchen devices, nor do I know how to prepare the food. Do you eat it raw, fry it, boil it, roast it ?"
"I cant2 believe you are ignorant in such matters."
Dors, who had been pacing up and down during this colloquy3, reached for the device and Seldon fended4 her off, whispering, "Hell break the connection if a woman tries to speak to him."
Then, into the device, he said more firmly than ever, "What you believe or dont believe doesnt matter to me in the least. You send someone here--someone who can do something about our situation--or when I reach Sunmaster Fourteen, as I will eventually, you will pay for this."
Nevertheless, it was two hours before someone arrived (by which time Seldon was in a state of savagery5 and Dors had grown rather desperate in her attempt to soothe6 him).
The newcomer was a young man whose bald pate7 was slightly freckled8 and who probably would have been a redhead otherwise.
He was bearing several pots and he seemed about to explain them when he suddenly looked uneasy and turned his back on Seldon in alarm. "Tribesman," he said, obviously agitated9. "Your skincap is not well adjusted."
Seldon, whose impatience10 had reached the breaking point, said, "That doesnt bother me."
Dors, however, said, "Let me adjust it, Hari. Its just a bit too high here on the left side."
Seldon then growled11, "You can turn now, young man. What is your name?"
"I am Graycloud Five," said the Mycogenian uncertainly as he turned and looked cautiously at Seldon. "I am a novitiate. I have brought a meal for you." He hesitated. "From my own kitchen, where my woman prepared it, tribesman." He put the pots down on the table and Seldon raised one lid and sniffed12 the contents suspiciously. He looked up at Dors in surprise.
"You know, it doesnt smell bad."
Dors nodded. "Youre right. I can smell it too."
Graycloud said, "Its not as hot as it ought to be. It cooled off in transport. You must have crockery and cutlery in your kitchen."
Dors got what was needed, and after they had eaten, largely and a bit greedily, Seldon felt civilized13 once more.
Dors, who realized that the young man would feel unhappy at being alone with a woman and even unhappier if she spoke14 to him, found that, by default, it fell to her to carry the pots and dishes into the kitchen and wash them--once she deciphered the controls of the washing device.
Meanwhile, Seldon asked the local time and said, somewhat abashed15, "You mean its the middle of the night?"
"Indeed, tribesman," said Graycloud. "Thats why it took a while to satisfy your need."
Seldon understood suddenly why Sunmaster could not be disturbed and thought of Grayclouds woman having to be awakened16 to prepare him a meal and felt his conscience gnaw17 at him. "Im sorry," he said. "We are only tribespeople and we didnt know how to use the kitchen or how to prepare the food. In the morning, could you have someone arrive to instruct us properly?"
"The best I can do, tribesmen," said Graycloud placatingly18, "is to have two Sisters sent in. I ask your pardon for inconveniencing you with feminine presence, but it is they who know these things."
Dors, who had emerged from the kitchen, said (before remembering her place in the masculine Mycogenian society), "Thats fine, Graycloud. Wed19 love to meet the Sisters."
Graycloud looked at her uneasily and fleetingly20, but said nothing.
Seldon, convinced that the young Mycogenian would, on principle, refuse to have heard what a woman said to him, repeated the remark. "Thats fine, Graycloud. Wed love to meet the Sisters."
His expression cleared at once. "I will have them here as soon as it is day."
When Graycloud had left, Seldon said with some satisfaction, "The Sisters are likely to be exactly what we need."
"Indeed? And in what way, Hari?" asked Dors.
"Well, surely if we treat them as though they are human beings, they will be grateful enough to speak of their legends."
"If they know them," said Dors skeptically. "Somehow I have no faith that the Mycogenians bother to educate their women very well."
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1
deflected
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| 偏离的 | |
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2
cant
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| n.斜穿，黑话，猛扔 | |
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3
colloquy
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| n.谈话，自由讨论 | |
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4
fended
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| v.独立生活，照料自己( fend的过去式和过去分词 )；挡开，避开 | |
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5
savagery
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| n.野性 | |
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6
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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7
pate
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| n.头顶；光顶 | |
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8
freckled
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| adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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10
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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11
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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12
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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13
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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14
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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15
abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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17
gnaw
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| v.不断地啃、咬；使苦恼，折磨 | |
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18
placatingly
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19
wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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fleetingly
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| adv.飞快地，疾驰地 | |
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