The trial (Gaal supposed it to be one, though it bore little resemblancelegalistically to the elaborate trial techniques Gaal had read of) had notlasted long. It was in its third day. Yet already, Gaal could no longerstretch his memory back far enough to embrace its beginning.
He himself  had been but little  pecked at. The heavy  guns were trained onDr. Seldon  himself. Hari Seldon, however,  sat there unperturbed. To Gaal,he   was   the   only   spot  of   stability   remaining   in  the   world.
The audience  was small and drawn¹ exclusively from  among the Barons² of theEmpire.  Press  and public  were  excluded  and it  was  doubtful that  anysignificant number of outsiders  even knew that a trial of Seldon was beingconducted.  The  atmosphere  was one  of  unrelieved  hostility³ toward  thedefendants.
Five of  the Commission of Public  Safety sat behind the  raised desk. Theywore scarlet⁴ and gold  uniforms and the shining, close-fitting plastic capsthat were the sign  of their judicial⁵ function. In the center was the ChiefCommissioner Linge Chen. Gaal  had never before seen so great a Lord and hewatched  him with fascination⁷.  Chen, throughout  the trial, rarely  said aword.  He made  it quite clear  that much  speech was beneath  his dignity.
The  Commission's   Advocate  consulted  his  notes   and  the  examinationcontinued, with Seldon still on the stand:
Q. Let us  see, Dr. Seldon. How many men are now  engaged in the project ofwhich you are head?
A. Fifty mathematicians⁹.
Q. Including Dr. Gaal Dornick?
A. Dr. Dornick is the fifty-first,Q.  Oh, we  have fifty-one  then? Search  your memory, Dr.  Seldon. Perhapsthere   are    fifty-two   or   fifty-three?   Or    perhaps   even   more?

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