Chapter 18

Raych sat in the anteroom of a public building in Dahl into which he had never ventured-never could have ventured-as a ragamuffin youth. He felt, in all truth, a little uneasy about it now, as though he were trespassing¹.
    He tried to look calm, trustworthy, lovable.
    Dad had told him that this was a quality he carried around with him, but he had never been conscious of it. If it came about naturally, he would probably spoil it by trying too hard to seem to be what he really was.
    He tried relaxing while keeping an eye on the official who was manipulating a computer at the desk. The official was not a Dahlite. He was, in fact, Gambol² Deen Namarti, who had been with Joranum at the meeting with Dad that Raych had attended.
    Every once in a while, Namarti would look up from his desk and glance at Raych with a hostile glare. This Namarti wasn't buying Raych's lovability. Raych could see that.
    Raych did not try to meet Namarti's hostility³ with a friendly smile. It would have seemed too artificial. He simply waited. He had gotten this far. If Joranum arrived, as he was expected to, Raych would have a chance to speak to him.
    Joranum did arrive, sweeping⁴ in, smiling his public smile of warmth and confidence. Namarti's hand came up and Joranum stopped. They spoke⁵ together in low voices while Raych watched intently and tried in vain to seem as if he wasn't. It seemed plain to Raych that Namarti was arguing against the meeting and Raych bridled⁶ a bit at that.
    Then Joranum looked at Raych, smiled, and pushed Namarti to one side. It occurred to Raych that, while Namarti was the brains of the team, it was Joranum who clearly had the charisma⁷.
    Joranum strode toward him and held out a plump, slightly moist hand. "Well well. Professor Seldon's young man. How are you?"
    "Fine, thank you, sir."
    "You had some trouble getting here, I understand."
    "Not too much, sir."
    "And you've come with a message from your father, I trust. I hope he is reconsidering his decision and has decided⁸ to join me in my great crusade."
    "I don't think so, sir."
    Joranum frowned slightly. "Are you here without his knowledge?"
    "No, sir. He sent me."
    "I see. -Are you hungry, lad?"
    "Not at the moment, sir."
    "Then would you mind if I eat? I don't get much time for the ordinary amenities⁹ of life," he said, smiling broadly.
    "It's all right with me, sir."
    Together, they moved to a table and sat down. Joranum unwrapped a sandwich and took a bite. His voice slightly muffled¹⁰, he said, "And why did he send you, son?"
    Raych shrugged¹¹. "I think he thought I might find out something about you that he could use against you. He's heart and soul with First Minister Demerzel."
    "And you're not?"
    "No, sir. I'm a Dahlite."
    "I know you are, Mr. Seldon, but what does that mean?"
    "It means I'm oppressed, so I'm on your side and I want to help you. Of course, I wouldn't want my father to know."
    "There's no reason he should know. How do you propose to help me?" He glanced quickly at Namarti, who was leaning against his desk, listening, with his arms folded and his expression lowering. "Do you know anything about psychohistory?"
    "No, sir. My father don't talk to me about that-and if he did, I wouldn't get it. I don't think he's getting anywhere with that stuff."
    "Are you sure?"
    "Sure I'm sure. There's a guy there, Yugo Amaryl, also a Dahlite, who talks about it sometimes. I'm sure nothing is happening."
    "Ah! And can I see Yugo Amaryl sometime, do you suppose?"
    "I don't think so. He ain't much for Demerzel, but he's all for my father. He wouldn't cross him."
    "But you would?"
    Raych looked unhappy and he muttered stubbornly, "I'm a Dahlite."
    Joranum cleared his throat. "Then let me ask you again. How do you propose to help me, young man?"
    "I've got something to tell you that maybe you won't believe."
    "Indeed? Try me. If I don't believe it, I will tell you so."
    "It's about First Minister Eto Demerzel."
    "Well?"
    Raych looked around uneasily. "Can anyone hear me?"
    "Just Namarti and myself."
    "All right, then listen. This guy Demerzel ain't a guy. He's a robot."
    "What!" exploded Joranum.
    Raych felt moved to explain. "A robot is a mechanical man, sir. He ain't human. He's a machine."
    Namarti broke out passionately¹², "Jo-Jo, don't believe that. It's ridiculous."
    But Joranum held up an admonitory hand. His eyes were gleaming. "Why do you say that?"
    "My father was in Mycogen once. He told me all about it. In Mycogen they talk about robots a lot."
    "Yes, I know. At least, I have heard so."
    "The Mycogenians believe that robots were once very common among their ancestors, but they were wiped out."
    Namarti's eyes narrowed. "But what makes you think that Demerzel is a robot? From what little I have heard of these fantasies, robots are made out of metal, aren't they?"
    "That's so," said Raych earnestly. "But what I heard is that there were a few robots that look just like human beings and they live forever-"
    Namarti shook his head violently. "Legends! Ridiculous legends! JoJo, why are we listening-"
    But Joranum cut him off quickly. "No, G.D. I want to listen. I've heard these legends, too."
    "But it's nonsense, Jo-Jo."
    "Don't be in such a rush to say `nonsense.' And even if it were, people live and die by nonsense. It's not what is so much as what people think is. -Tell me, young man, putting legends to one side, what makes you think Demerzel is a robot? Let's suppose that robots exist. What is it, then, about Demerzel that makes you say he is a robot? Did he tell you so?"
    "No, sir," said Raych.
    "Did your father tell you so?" asked Joranum.
    "No, sir. It's just my own idea, but I'm sure of it."
    "Why? What makes you so sure?"
    "It's just something about him. He doesn't change. He doesn't get older. He doesn't show emotions. Something about him looks like he's made of metal."
    Joranum sat back in his chair and looked at Raych for an extended time. It was almost possible to hear his thoughts buzzing.
    Finally he said, "Suppose he is a robot, young man. Why should you care? Does it matter to you?"
    "Of course it matters to me," said Raych. "I'm a human being. I don't want no robot in charge of running the Empire."
    Joranum turned to Namarti with a gesture of eager approval. "Do you hear that, G.D.? `I'm a human being. I don't want no robot in charge of running the Empire.' Put him on holovision and have him say it. Have him repeat it over and over till it's drummed into every person on Trantor-"
    "Hey," said Raych, finally catching¹³ his breath. "I can't say that on holovision. I can't let my father find out-"
    "No, of course not," said Joranum quickly. "We couldn't allow that. We'll just use the words. We'll find some other Dahlite. Someone from each of the sectors¹⁵, each in his own dialect, but always the same message: `I don't want no robot in charge of running the Empire.'"
    Namarti said, "And what happens when Demerzel proves he's not a robot?"
    "Really," said Joranum. "How will he do that? It would be impossible for him to do so. Psychologically impossible. What? The great Demerzel, the power behind the throne, the man who has twitched¹⁶ the strings¹⁷ attached to Cleon I all these years and those attached to Cleon抯 father before him? Will he climb down now and whine¹⁸ to the public that he is, too, a human being? That would be almost as destructive to him as being a robot. G.D., we have the villain¹⁹ in a no-win situation and we owe it all to this fine young man here."
    Raych flushed.
    Joranum said, "Raych is your name, isn't it? Once our party is in a position to do so, we won't forget. Dahl will be treated well and you will have a good position with us. You're going to be Dahl's sector¹⁴ leader someday, Raych, and you're not going to regret you've done this. Are you, now?"
    "Not on your life," said Raych fervently²⁰.
    "In that case, we'll see that you get back to your father. You let him know that we intend him no harm, that we value him greatly. You can tell him you found that out in any way you please. And if you find anything else you think we might be able to use-about psychohistory, in particular, you let us know."
    "You bet. But do you mean it when you say you'll see to it that Dahl gets some breaks?"
    "Absolutely. Equality of sectors, my boy. Equality of worlds. We'll have a new Empire with all the old villainies of privilege and inequality wiped out."
    And Raych nodded his head vigorously. "That's what I want."
   

1 trespassing   

[法]非法入侵

参考例句：

• He told me I was trespassing on private land. 他说我在擅闯私人土地。
• Don't come trespassing on my land again. 别再闯入我的地界了。

2 gambol   

v.欢呼，雀跃

参考例句：

• He determined to revisit the scene of the last evening's gambol.他决计再到昨晚嬉戏的地方去一趟。
• He didn't play sports or a musical instrument,gamble at whist or gambol on a horse.他不做运动，不玩乐器，不赌博，不骑马。

3 hostility   

n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争

参考例句：

• There is open hostility between the two leaders.两位领导人表现出公开的敌意。
• His hostility to your plan is well known.他对你的计划所持的敌意是众所周知的。

4 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

5 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 bridled   

给…套龙头( bridle的过去式和过去分词 )； 控制； 昂首表示轻蔑（或怨忿等）； 动怒，生气

参考例句：

• She bridled at the suggestion that she was lying. 她对暗示她在说谎的言论嗤之以鼻。
• He bridled his horse. 他给他的马套上笼头。

7 charisma   

n.(大众爱戴的)领袖气质，魅力

参考例句：

• He has enormous charisma. He is a giant of a man.他有超凡的个人魅力，是个伟人。
• I don't have the charisma to pull a crowd this size.我没有那么大的魅力，能吸引这么多人。

8 decided   

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。

9 amenities   

n.令人愉快的事物；礼仪；礼节；便利设施；礼仪( amenity的名词复数 )；便利设施；（环境等的）舒适；（性情等的）愉快

参考例句：

• The campsite is close to all local amenities. 营地紧靠当地所有的便利设施。
• Parks and a theatre are just some of the town's local amenities. 公园和戏院只是市镇娱乐设施的一部分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 muffled   

adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己）

参考例句：

• muffled voices from the next room 从隔壁房间里传来的沉闷声音
• There was a muffled explosion somewhere on their right. 在他们的右面什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 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》

12 passionately   

ad.热烈地，激烈地

参考例句：

• She could hate as passionately as she could love. 她能恨得咬牙切齿，也能爱得一往情深。
• He was passionately addicted to pop music. 他酷爱流行音乐。

13 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

14 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。

15 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

16 twitched   

vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Her lips twitched with amusement. 她忍俊不禁地颤动着嘴唇。
• The child's mouth twitched as if she were about to cry. 这小孩的嘴抽动着，像是要哭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

18 whine   

v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣

参考例句：

• You are getting paid to think,not to whine.支付给你工资是让你思考而不是哀怨的。
• The bullet hit a rock and rocketed with a sharp whine.子弹打在一块岩石上，一声尖厉的呼啸，跳飞开去。

19 villain   

n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因

参考例句：

• He was cast as the villain in the play.他在戏里扮演反面角色。
• The man who played the villain acted very well.扮演恶棍的那个男演员演得很好。

20 fervently   

adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地

参考例句：

• "Oh, I am glad!'she said fervently. “哦，我真高兴！”她热烈地说道。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• O my dear, my dear, will you bless me as fervently to-morrow?' 啊，我亲爱的，亲爱的，你明天也愿这样热烈地为我祝福么？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记