Chapter 67

Mistress Tisalver returned with her daughter in tow an hour after Amaryl had left on this way to his shift. She said nothing at all to either Seldon or Dors, but gave a curt¹ nod of her head when they greeted her and gazed sharply about the room as though to verify that the heatsinker had left no trace. She then sniffed² the air sharply and looked at Seldon accusingly before marching through the common room into the family bedroom.
Tisalver himself arrived home later and when Seldon and Dors came to the dinner table, Tisalver took advantage of the fact that his wife was still ordering some last-minute details in connection with the dinner to say in a low voice, "Has that person been here?"
"And gone," said Seldon solemnly. "Your wife was out at the time."
Tisalver nodded and said, "Will you have to do this again?"
"I dont think so," said Seldon.
"Good."
Dinner passed largely in silence, but afterward³, when the daughter had gone to her room for the dubious⁴ pleasures of computer practice, Seldon leaned back and said, "Tell me about Billibotton."
Tisalver looked astonished and his mouth moved without any sound issuing.
Casilia, however, was less easily rendered speechless. She said, "Is that where your new friend lives? Are you going to return the visit?"
"So far," said Seldon quietly, "I have just asked about Billibotton."
Casilia said sharply, "It is a slum. The dregs live there. No one goes there, except the filth⁵ that make their homes there."
"I understand a Mother Rittah lives there."
"I never heard of her," said Casilia, her mouth closing with a snap. It was quite clear that she had no intention of knowing anyone by name who lived in Billibotton.
Tisalver, casting an uneasy look at his wife, said, "Ive heard of her. Shes a crazy old woman who is supposed to tell fortunes."
"And does she live in Billibotton?"
"I dont know, Master Seldon. Ive never seen her. Shes mentioned sometimes in the news holocasts when she makes her predictions."
"Do they come true?"
Tisalver snorted. "Do predictions ever come true? Hers dont even make sense."
"Does she ever talk about Earth?"
"I dont know. I wouldnt be surprised."
"The mention of Earth doesnt puzzle you. Do you know about Earth?"
Now Tisalver looked surprised. "Certainly, Master Seldon. Its the world all people came from ... supposedly."
"Supposedly? Dont you believe it?"
"Me? Im educated. But many ignorant people believe it."
"Are there book-films about Earth?"
"Childrens stories sometimes mention Earth. I remember, when I was a young boy, my favorite story began, Once, long ago, on Earth, when Earth was the only planet-- Remember, Casilia? You liked it too."
Casilia shrugged⁶, unwilling⁷ to bend as yet.
"Id like to see it sometime," said Seldon, "but I mean real book-films ... uh ... learned ones ... or films ... or printouts."
"I never heard of any, but the library--"
"Ill try that.--Are there any taboos⁸ about speaking of Earth?"
"What are taboos?"
"I mean, is it a strong custom that people mustnt talk of Earth or that outsiders mustnt ask about it?"
Tisalver looked so honestly astonished that there seemed no point in waiting for an answer.
Dors put in, "Is there some rule about outsiders not going to Billibotton?"
Now Tisalver turned earnest. "No rule, but its not a good idea for anyone to go there. I wouldnt."
Dors said, "Why not?"
"Its dangerous. Violent! Everyone is armed.--I mean, Dahl is an armed place anyway, but in Billibotton they use the weapons. Stay in this neighborhood. Its safe."
"So far," said Casilia darkly. "It would be better if we left altogether. Heatsinkers go anywhere these days." And there was another lowering look in Seldons direction.
Seldon said, "What do you mean that Dahl is an armed place? There are strong Imperial regulations against weapons."
"I know that," said Tisalver, "and there are no stun⁹ guns here or percussives or Psychic¹⁰ Probes or anything like that. But there are knives." He looked embarrassed.
Dors said, "Do you carry a knife, Tisalver?"
"Me?" He looked genuinely horrified¹¹. "I am a man of peace and this is a safe neighborhood."
"We have a couple of them in the house," said Casilia, sniffing¹² again. "Were not that certain this is a safe neighborhood."
"Does everyone carry knives?" asked Dors.
"Almost everyone, Mistress Venabili," said Tisalver. "Its customary. But that doesnt mean everyone uses them."
"But they use them in Billibotton, I suppose," said Dors.
"Sometimes. When theyre excited, they have fights."
"And the government permits it? The Imperial government, I mean?"
"Sometimes they try to clean Billibotton up, but knives are too easy to hide and the custom is too strong. Besides, its almost always Dahlites that get killed and I dont think the Imperial government gets too upset over that."
"What if its an outsider who gets killed?"
"If its reported, the Imperials could get excited. But what happens is that no one has seen anything and no one knows anything. The Imperials sometimes round up people on general principles, but they can never prove anything. I suppose they decide its the outsiders fault for being there.--So dont go to Billibotton, even if you have a knife."
Seldon shook his head rather pettishly¹³. "I wouldnt carry a knife. I dont know how to use one. Not skillfully."
"Then its simple, Master Seldon. Stay out." Tisalver shook his head portentously¹⁴. "Just stay out."
"I may not be able to do that either," said Seldon.
Dors glared at him, clearly annoyed, and said to Tisalver, "Where does one buy a knife? Or may we have one of yours?"
Casilia said quickly, "No one takes someone elses knife. You must buy your own."
Tisalver said, "There are knife stores all over. There arent supposed to be. Theoretically theyre illegal, you know. Any appliance store sells them, however. If you see a washing machine on display, thats a sure sign."
"And how does one get to Billibotton?" asked Seldon.
"By Expressway."
Tisalver looked dubious as he looked at Dorss frowning expression.
Seldon said, "And once I reach the Expressway?"
"Get on the eastbound side and watch for the signs. But if you must go, Master Seldon"--Tisalver hesitated, then said--"you mustnt take Mistress Venabili. Women sometimes are treated ... worse."
"She wont¹⁵ go," said Seldon.
"Im afraid she will," said Dors with quiet determination.

1 curt   

adj.简短的，草率的

参考例句：

• He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。
• He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。

2 sniffed   

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

参考例句：

• When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣，吸了吸鼻子，擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

4 dubious   

adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• What he said yesterday was dubious.他昨天说的话很含糊。
• He uses some dubious shifts to get money.他用一些可疑的手段去赚钱。

5 filth   

n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥

参考例句：

• I don't know how you can read such filth.我不明白你怎么会去读这种淫秽下流的东西。
• The dialogue was all filth and innuendo.这段对话全是下流的言辞和影射。

6 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》

7 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

8 taboos   

禁忌( taboo的名词复数 )； 忌讳； 戒律； 禁忌的事物（或行为）

参考例句：

• She was unhorsed by fences, laws and alien taboos. 她被藩蓠、法律及外来的戒律赶下了马。
• His mind was charged with taboos. 他头脑里忌讳很多。

9 stun   

vt.打昏，使昏迷，使震惊，使惊叹

参考例句：

• When they told me she had gone missing I was totally stunned.他们告诉我她不见了时，我当时完全惊呆了。
• Sam stood his ground and got a blow that stunned him.萨姆站在原地，被一下打昏了。

10 psychic   

n.对超自然力敏感的人；adj.有超自然力的

参考例句：

• Some people are said to have psychic powers.据说有些人有通灵的能力。
• She claims to be psychic and to be able to foretell the future.她自称有特异功能，能预知未来。

11 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

12 sniffing   

n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；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

参考例句：

• We all had colds and couldn't stop sniffing and sneezing. 我们都感冒了，一个劲地抽鼻子，打喷嚏。
• They all had colds and were sniffing and sneezing. 他们都伤风了，呼呼喘气而且打喷嚏。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

13 pettishly   

参考例句：

• \"Oh, no,'she said, almost pettishly, \"I just don't feel very good.\" “哦，不是，\"她说，几乎想发火了，\"我只是觉得不大好受。” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Then he tossed the marble away pettishly, and stood cogitating. 于是他一气之下扔掉那个弹子，站在那儿沉思。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

14 portentously   

参考例句：

• The lamps had a portentously elastic swing with them. 那儿路面的街灯正带着一种不祥的弹性摇晃着呢！ 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• Louis surveyed me with his shrewd gray eyes and shook his head portentously. 鲁易用他狡猾的灰色眼睛打量着我，预示凶兆般地摇着头。 来自辞典例句

15 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。