Chapter 8

Manella came to see Seldon almost immediately afterward¹.
    "Pardon me, Hari, but what has Dors been saying"
    Seldon looked up again. Nothing but interruptions².
    "It wasn't anything important. Wanda's dream."
    Manella's lips pursed. "I knew it. Wanda said Dors was asking her questions about it. Why doesn't she leave the girl alone? You would think that having a bad dream was some sort of felony."
    "As a matter of fact," said Seldon soothingly³, "it's just a matter of something Wanda remembered as part of the dream. I don't know if Wanda told you, but apparently⁴ in her dream she heard something about 'lemonade death.' "
    "Hmm!" Manella was silent for a moment. Then she said, "That doesn't really matter so much. Wanda is crazy about lemonade and she's expecting lots of it at the party. I promised she'd have some with Mycogenian drops in it and she's looking forward to it."
    "So that if she heard something that sounded anything like lemonade, it would be translated into lemonade in her mind."
    "Yes. Why not?"
    "Except that, in that case, what do you suppose it was that was actually said? She must have heard something in order to misinterpret it."
    "I don't think that's necessarily⁵ so. But why are we attaching so much importance to a little girl's dream? Please, I don't want anyone talking to her about it anymore. It's too upsetting."
    "I agree. I'll see to it that Dors drops the subject-at least with Wanda."
    "All right. I don't care if she is Wanda's grandmother, Hari. I'm her mother, after all, and my wishes come first."
    "Absolutely," said Seldon soothingly and looked after Manella as she left. That was another burden-the unending competition between those two women.

1 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。

2 interruptions   

n.中断( interruption的名词复数 )；打断；障碍物；打岔的事

参考例句：

• Many interruptions have prevented me from finishing the work. 许多打岔的事使得我未能完成这项工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I could not say all I wished because of the interruptions. 由于他不断的插话，我无法把想说的话都说出来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 soothingly   

adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地

参考例句：

• The mother talked soothingly to her child. 母亲对自己的孩子安慰地说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He continued to talk quietly and soothingly to the girl until her frightened grip on his arm was relaxed. 他继续柔声安慰那姑娘，她那因恐惧而紧抓住他的手终于放松了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 apparently   

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。

5 necessarily   

adv.必要地，必需地；必定地，必然地

参考例句：

• More work does not necessarily call for more men.增加工作量不一定就要增添人员。
• A voter must necessarily be no younger than eighteen.选民必须在18岁以上。