小说搜索     点击排行榜   最新入库
首页 » 英文科幻小说 » 基地系列 Forward the Foundation 迈向基地 » Chapter 11
选择底色: 选择字号:【大】【中】【小】
Chapter 11
关注小说网官方公众号(noveltingroom),原版名著免费领。
Eto Demerzel was not frequently seen, except by the Emperor Cleon. It was his policy to remain in the background for a variety of reasons, one of which was that his appearance changed so little with time.
    Hari Seldon had not seen him over a period of some years and had not spoken to him truly in private since the days of his early time on Trantor.
    In light of Seldon's recent unsettling meeting with Laskin Joranum, both Seldon and Demerzel felt it would be best not to advertise their relationship. A visit by Hari Seldon to the First Minister's office at the Imperial Palace would not go unnoticed, and so for reasons of security they had decided1 to meet in a small yet luxuriously2 appointed suite3 at the Dome's Edge Hotel, just outside the Palace grounds.
    Seeing Demerzel now brought back the old days achingly. The mere4 fact that Demerzel still looked exactly as he always had made the ache sharper. His face still had its strong regular features. He was still tall and sturdy-looking, with the same dark hair with the hint of blond. He was not handsome, but was gravely distinguished5. He looked like someone's ideal picture of what an Imperial First Minister ought to look like, not at all like any such official in history before his time ever had. It was his appearance, Seldon thought, that gave him half his power over the Emperor, and therefore over the Imperial Court, and therefore over the Empire.
    Demerzel advanced toward him, a gentle smile curving his lips without altering in any way the gravity of his countenance6.
    "Hart," he said. "It is pleasant to see you. I was half-afraid you would change your mind and cancel."
    "I was more than half-afraid you would, First Minister."
    "Eto-if you fear using my real name."
    "I couldn't. It won't come out of me. You know that."
    "It will to me. Say it. I would rather like to hear it."
    Seldon hesitated, as though he couldn't believe his lips could frame the words or his vocal7 cords sound them. "Daneel," he said at length.
    "R. Daneel Olivaw," said Demerzel. "Yes. You will dine with me, Hari. If I dine with you, I won't have to eat, which will be a relief."
    "Gladly, though one-way eating is not my idea of a convivial8 time. Surely a bite or two-"
    "To please you-"
    "Just the same," said Seldon, "I can't help but wonder if it is wise to spend too much time together."
    "It is. Imperial orders. His Imperial Majesty9 wants me to."
    "Why, Daneel?"
    "In two more years the Decennial Convention will be meeting again. -You look surprised. Have you forgotten?"
    "Not really. I just haven't thought about it."
    "Were you not going to attend? You were a hit at the last one."
    "Yes. With my psychohistory. Some hit."
    "You attracted the attention of the Emperor. No other mathematician10 did."
    "It was you who were initially11 attracted, not the Emperor. Then I had to flee and stay out of the Imperial notice until such time as I could assure you that I had made a start on my psychohistorical research, after which you allowed me to remain in safe obscurity."
    "Being the head of a prestigious12 Mathematics Department is scarcely obscurity."
    "Yes, it is, since it hides my psychohistory."
    "Ah, the food is arriving. For a while, let's talk about other things as befits friends. How is Dors?"
    "Wonderful. A true wife. Hounds me to death with her worries over my safety."
    "That is her job."
    "So she reminds me-frequently. Seriously, Daneel, I can never be sufficiently13 grateful to you for bringing us together."
    "Thank you, Hari, but, to be truthful14, I did not foresee married happiness for either of you, especially not Dors-"
    "Thank you for the gift just the same, however short of the actual consequences your expectations were."
    "I'm delighted, but it is a gift, you will find, that may be of dubious15 further consequence-as is my friendship."
    To this, Seldon could make no reply and so, at a gesture from Demerzel, he turned to his meal.
    After a while, he nodded at the morsel16 of fish on his fork and said, "I don't actually recognize the organism, but this is Mycogenian cooking."
    "Yes, it is. I know you are fond of it."
    "It's the Mycogenians' excuse for existence. Their only excuse. But they have special meaning to you. I mustn't forget that."
    "The special meaning has come to an end. Their ancestors, long, long ago, inhabited the planet of Aurora17. They lived three hundred years and more and were the lords of the Fifty Worlds of the Galaxy18. It was an Auroran who first designed and produced me. I don't forget that; I remember it far more accurately-and with less distortion-than their Mycogenian descendants do. But then, long, long ago, I left them. I made my choice as to what the good of humanity must be and I have followed it, as best I could, all this time."
    Seldon said with sudden alarm, "Can we be overheard?"
    Demerzel seemed amused. "If you have only thought of that now, it is far too late. But fear not, I have taken the necessary precautions. Nor have you been seen by too many eyes when you came. Nor will you be seen by too many when you leave. And those who do see you will not be surprised. I am well known to be an amateur mathematician of great pretensions19 but of little ability. That is a source of amusement to those at the court who are not entirely20 my friends and it would not surprise anyone here that I should be concerned about laying the groundwork for the forthcoming Decennial Convention. It is about the convention that I wish to consult you."
    "I don't know that I can help. There is only one thing I could possibly talk about at the convention-and I can't talk about it. If I attend at all, it will only be as part of the audience. I do not intend to present any papers."
    "I understand. Still, if you would like to hear something curious, His Imperial Majesty remembers you."
    "Because you have kept me in his mind, I suppose."
    "No. I have not labored21 to do so. However, His Imperial Majesty occasionally surprises me. He is aware of the forthcoming convention and he apparently23 remembers your talk at the earlier one. He remains24 interested in the matter of psychohistory and more may come of it, I must warn you. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that he may ask to see you. The court will surely consider it a great honor-to receive the Imperial call twice in a single lifetime."
    "You're joking. What could be served by my seeing him?"
    "In any case, if you are called to an audience, you can scarcely refuse. -How are your young proteg6s, Yugo and Raych?"
    "Surely you know. I imagine you keep a close eye on me."
    "Yes, I do. On your safety but not on every aspect of your life. I am afraid my duties fill much of my time and I am not all-seeing."
    "Doesn't Dors report?"
    "She would in a crisis. Not otherwise. She is reluctant to play the role of spy in nonessentials." Again the small smile.
    Seldon grunted25. "My boys are doing well. Yugo is increasingly difficult to handle. He's more of a psychohistorian than I am and I think he feels I hold him back. As for Raych, he's a lovable rascal-always was. He won me over when he was a dreadful street urchin26 and what's more surprising is that he won over Dors. I honestly believe, Daneel, that if Dors grew sick of me and wanted to leave me, she would stay on anyway for her love of Raych."
    Demerzel nodded and Seldon continued somberly. "If Rashelle of Wye hadn't found him lovable, I would not be here today. I would have been shot down-" He stirred uneasily. "I hate to think of that, Daneel. It was such an entirely accidental and unpredictable event. How could psychohistory have helped in any way?"
    "Have you not told me that, at best, psychohistory can deal only in probabilities and with vast numbers, not with individuals?"
    "But if the individual happens to be crucial-"
    "I suspect you will find that no individual is ever truly crucial. Not even I-or you."
    "Perhaps you're right. I find that, no matter how I work away under these assumptions, I nevertheless think of myself as crucial, in a kind of supernormal egotism that transcends27 all sense. -And you are crucial, too, which is something I have come here to discuss with you-as frankly28 as possible. I must know."
    "Know what?" The remains of the meal had been cleared away by a porter and the room's lighting29 dimmed somewhat so that the walls seemed to close in and give a feeling of great privacy.
    Seldon said, "Joranum." He bit off the word, as though feeling the mention of the name alone should be sufficient.
    "Ah Yes."
    "You know about him?"
    "Of course. How could I not know?"
    "Well, I want to know about him, too."
    "What do you want to know?"
    "Come, Daneel, don't play with me. Is he dangerous?"
    "Of course he is dangerous. Do you have any doubt of that?"
    "I mean, to you? To your position as First Minister?"
    "That is exactly what I mean. That is how he is dangerous."
    "And you allow it?"
    Demerzel leaned forward, placing his left elbow on the table between them. "There are things that don't wait for my permission, Hari. Let us be philosophical30 about it. His Imperial Majesty, Cleon, First of that Name, has now been on the throne for eighteen years and for all that time I have been his Chief of Staff and then his First Minister, having served in scarcely lesser31 capacities during the last years of the reign32 of his father. It is a long time and First Ministers rarely remain that long in power."
    "You are not the ordinary First Minister, Daneel, and you know it. You must remain in power while psychohistory is being developed. Don't smile at me. It's true. When we first met, eight years ago, you told me the Empire was in a state of decay and decline. Have you changed your mind about that?"
    "No, of course not."
    "In fact, the decline is more marked now, isn't it?"
    "Yes, it is, though I labor22 to prevent that."
    "And without you, what would happen? Joranum is raising the Empire against you."
    "Trantor, Hari. Trantor. The Outer Worlds are solid and reasonably contented33 with my deeds so far, even in the midst of a declining economy and lessening34 trade."
    "But Trantor is where it counts. Trantor-the Imperial world we're living on, the capital of the Empire, the core, the administrative35 center- is what can overthrow36 you. You cannot keep your post if Trantor says no.
    "I agree."
    "And if you go, who will then take care of the Outer Worlds and what will keep the decline from being precipitate37 and the Empire from degenerating38 rapidly into anarchy39?"
    "That is a possibility, certainly."
    "So you must be doing something about it. Yugo is convinced that you are in deadly danger and can't maintain your position. His intuition tells him so. Dors says the same thing and explains it in terms of the Three Laws or Four of-of-"
    "Robotics," put in Demerzel.
    "Young Raych seems attracted to Joranum's doctrines-being of Dahlite origin, you see. And I-I am uncertain, so I come to you for comfort, I suppose. Tell me that you have the situation well in hand."
    "I would do so if I could. However, I have no comfort to offer. I am in danger."
    "Are you doing nothing?"
    "No. I'm doing a great deal to contain discontent and blunt Joranum's message. If I had not done so, then perhaps I would be out of office already. But what I'm doing is not enough."
    Seldon hesitated. Finally he said, "I believe that Joranum is actually a Mycogenian."
    "Is that so?"
    "It is my opinion. I had thought we might use that against him, but I hesitate to unleash40 the forces of bigotry41."
    "You are wise to hesitate. There are many things that might be done that have side effects we do not want. You see, Hari, I don't fear leaving my post-if some successor could be found who would continue those principles that I have been using to keep the decline as slow as possible. On the other hand, if Joranum himself were to succeed me, then that, in my opinion, would be fatal."
    "Then anything we can do to stop him would be suitable."
    "Not entirely. The Empire can grow anarchic, even if Joranum is destroyed and I stay. I must not, then, do something that will destroy Joranum and allow me to stay-if that very deed promotes the Fall of the Empire. I have not yet been able to think of anything I might do that would surely destroy Joranum and just as surely avoid anarchy."
    "Minimalism,?whispered Seldon.
    "Pardon me?"
    "Dors explained that you would be bound by minimalism."
    "And so I am."
    "Then my visit with you is a failure, Daneel."
    "You mean that you came for comfort and didn't get it."
    "I'm afraid so."
    "But I saw you because I sought comfort as well."
    "From me?"
    "From psychohistory, which should envision the route to safety that I cannot."
    Seldon sighed heavily. "Daneel, psychohistory has not yet been developed to that point."
    The First Minister looked at him gravely. "You've had eight years, Hari."
    "It might be eight or eight hundred and it might not be developed to that point. It is an intractable problem."
    Demerzel said, "I do not expect the technique to have been perfected, but you may have some sketch42, some skeleton, some principle that you can use as guidance. Imperfectly, perhaps, but better than mere guesswork."
    "No more than I had eight years ago," said Seldon mournfully. "Here's what it amounts to, then. You must remain in power and Joranum must be destroyed in such a way that Imperial stability is maintained as long as possible so that I may have a reasonable chance to work out psychohistory. This cannot be done, however, unless I work out psychohistory first. Is that it?"
    "It would seem so, Hari."
    "Then we argue in a useless circle and the Empire is destroyed."
    "Unless something unforeseen happens. Unless you make something unforeseen happen."
    "I? Daneel, how can I do it without psychohistory?"
    "I don't know, Hari."
    And Seldon rose to go-in despair.
   

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
2 luxuriously 547f4ef96080582212df7e47e01d0eaf     
adv.奢侈地,豪华地
参考例句:
  • She put her nose luxuriously buried in heliotrope and tea roses. 她把自己的鼻子惬意地埋在天芥菜和庚申蔷薇花簇中。 来自辞典例句
  • To be well dressed doesn't mean to be luxuriously dressed. 穿得好不一定衣着豪华。 来自辞典例句
3 suite MsMwB     
n.一套(家具);套房;随从人员
参考例句:
  • She has a suite of rooms in the hotel.她在那家旅馆有一套房间。
  • That is a nice suite of furniture.那套家具很不错。
4 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过
参考例句:
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
5 distinguished wu9z3v     
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的
参考例句:
  • Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
  • A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。
6 countenance iztxc     
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同
参考例句:
  • At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
  • I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地,仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。
7 vocal vhOwA     
adj.直言不讳的;嗓音的;n.[pl.]声乐节目
参考例句:
  • The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
  • Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。
8 convivial OYEz9     
adj.狂欢的,欢乐的
参考例句:
  • The atmosphere was quite convivial.气氛非常轻松愉快。
  • I found it odd to imagine a nation of convivial diners surrendering their birthright.我发现很难想象让这样一个喜欢热热闹闹吃饭的民族放弃他们的习惯。
9 majesty MAExL     
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权
参考例句:
  • The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
  • Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下,您必须赶快做出决定!
10 mathematician aoPz2p     
n.数学家
参考例句:
  • The man with his back to the camera is a mathematician.背对着照相机的人是位数学家。
  • The mathematician analyzed his figures again.这位数学家再次分析研究了他的这些数字。
11 initially 273xZ     
adv.最初,开始
参考例句:
  • The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
  • Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。
12 prestigious nQ2xn     
adj.有威望的,有声望的,受尊敬的
参考例句:
  • The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
  • You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。
13 sufficiently 0htzMB     
adv.足够地,充分地
参考例句:
  • It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
  • The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
14 truthful OmpwN     
adj.真实的,说实话的,诚实的
参考例句:
  • You can count on him for a truthful report of the accident.你放心,他会对事故作出如实的报告的。
  • I don't think you are being entirely truthful.我认为你并没全讲真话。
15 dubious Akqz1     
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。
16 morsel Q14y4     
n.一口,一点点
参考例句:
  • He refused to touch a morsel of the food they had brought.他们拿来的东西他一口也不吃。
  • The patient has not had a morsel of food since the morning.从早上起病人一直没有进食。
17 aurora aV9zX     
n.极光
参考例句:
  • The aurora is one of nature's most awesome spectacles.极光是自然界最可畏的奇观之一。
  • Over the polar regions we should see aurora.在极地高空,我们会看到极光。
18 galaxy OhoxB     
n.星系;银河系;一群(杰出或著名的人物)
参考例句:
  • The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
  • The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。
19 pretensions 9f7f7ffa120fac56a99a9be28790514a     
自称( pretension的名词复数 ); 自命不凡; 要求; 权力
参考例句:
  • The play mocks the pretensions of the new middle class. 这出戏讽刺了新中产阶级的装模作样。
  • The city has unrealistic pretensions to world-class status. 这个城市不切实际地标榜自己为国际都市。
20 entirely 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。
21 labored zpGz8M     
adj.吃力的,谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转
参考例句:
  • I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing. 我离那头麋鹿非常近,能听见它吃力的呼吸声。 来自辞典例句
  • They have labored to complete the job. 他们努力完成这一工作。 来自辞典例句
22 labor P9Tzs     
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。
23 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
24 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
25 grunted f18a3a8ced1d857427f2252db2abbeaf     
(猪等)作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 ); (指人)发出类似的哼声; 咕哝着说
参考例句:
  • She just grunted, not deigning to look up from the page. 她只咕哝了一声,继续看书,不屑抬起头来看一眼。
  • She grunted some incomprehensible reply. 她咕噜着回答了些令人费解的话。
26 urchin 0j8wS     
n.顽童;海胆
参考例句:
  • You should sheer off the urchin.你应该躲避这顽童。
  • He is a most wicked urchin.他是个非常调皮的顽童。
27 transcends dfa28a18c43373ca174d5387d99aafdf     
超出或超越(经验、信念、描写能力等)的范围( transcend的第三人称单数 ); 优于或胜过…
参考例句:
  • The chemical dilution technique transcends most of the difficulties. 化学稀释法能克服大部分困难。
  • The genius of Shakespeare transcends that of all other English poets. 莎士比亚的才华胜过所有的其他英国诗人。
28 frankly fsXzcf     
adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说
参考例句:
  • To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说,我一点也不赞成这个主意。
  • Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说,我不反对改革。
29 lighting CpszPL     
n.照明,光线的明暗,舞台灯光
参考例句:
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
30 philosophical rN5xh     
adj.哲学家的,哲学上的,达观的
参考例句:
  • The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
  • She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。
31 lesser UpxzJL     
adj.次要的,较小的;adv.较小地,较少地
参考例句:
  • Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
  • She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及,但程度较轻。
32 reign pBbzx     
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势
参考例句:
  • The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
  • The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。
33 contented Gvxzof     
adj.满意的,安心的,知足的
参考例句:
  • He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
  • The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。
34 lessening 7da1cd48564f42a12c5309c3711a7945     
减轻,减少,变小
参考例句:
  • So however much he earned, she spent it, her demands growing and lessening with his income. 祥子挣多少,她花多少,她的要求随着他的钱涨落。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
  • The talks have resulted in a lessening of suspicion. 谈话消减了彼此的怀疑。
35 administrative fzDzkc     
adj.行政的,管理的
参考例句:
  • The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
  • He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。
36 overthrow PKDxo     
v.推翻,打倒,颠覆;n.推翻,瓦解,颠覆
参考例句:
  • After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后,这个国家处于混乱中。
  • The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。
37 precipitate 1Sfz6     
adj.突如其来的;vt.使突然发生;n.沉淀物
参考例句:
  • I don't think we should make precipitate decisions.我认为我们不应该贸然作出决定。
  • The king was too precipitate in declaring war.国王在宣战一事上过于轻率。
38 degenerating 5f4d9bd2187d4b36bf5f605de97e15a9     
衰退,堕落,退化( degenerate的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • He denied that some young people today were degenerating. 他否认现在某些青年在堕落。
  • Young people of today are not degenerating. 今天的青年并没有在变坏。
39 anarchy 9wYzj     
n.无政府状态;社会秩序混乱,无秩序
参考例句:
  • There would be anarchy if we had no police.要是没有警察,社会就会无法无天。
  • The country was thrown into a state of anarchy.这国家那时一下子陷入无政府状态。
40 unleash bjewz     
vt.发泄,发出;解带子放开
参考例句:
  • They hope to create allies to unleash against diseases,pests,and invasive species.他们希望创造出一些新群体来对付疾病、害虫和一些有侵害性的物种。
  • Changing water levels now at times unleash a miasma of disease from exposed sewage.如今,大坝不时地改变水位,从暴露的污水释放出了疾病瘴气。
41 bigotry Ethzl     
n.偏见,偏执,持偏见的行为[态度]等
参考例句:
  • She tried to dissociate herself from the bigotry in her past.她力图使自己摆脱她以前的偏见。
  • At least we can proceed in this matter without bigotry.目前这件事咱们至少可以毫无偏见地进行下去。
42 sketch UEyyG     
n.草图;梗概;素描;v.素描;概述
参考例句:
  • My sister often goes into the country to sketch. 我姐姐常到乡间去写生。
  • I will send you a slight sketch of the house.我将给你寄去房屋的草图。


欢迎访问英文小说网

©英文小说网 2005-2010

有任何问题,请给我们留言,管理员邮箱:[email protected]  站长QQ :点击发送消息和我们联系56065533