For a long while, they sat silently as the taxi whined¹ through the hundredsof miles of worm-like tunnels toward the University. And then Gaal stirred.
He said:
"Was what you told  the Commissioner² true? Would your execution have reallyhastened the Fall?"Seldon said, "I never  lie about psychohistoric findings. Nor would it haveavailed me in  this case. Chen knew I spoke³ the truth.  He is a very cleverpolitician and  politicians by the very  nature of their work  must have aninstinctive feeling for the truths of psychohistory.""Then  need you  have accepted  exile," Gaal  wondered, but Seldon  did notanswer.
When they burst out upon the University grounds, Gaal's muscles took actionof their own; or rather, inaction. He had to be carried, almost, out of thetaxi.
All the  University was a blaze of light. Gaal  had almost forgotten that asun could exist.
The  University  structures  lacked  the hard  steel-gray  of  the rest  ofTrantor. They were silvery, rather. The metallic⁴ luster⁵ was almost ivory incolor.
Seldon said, "Soldiers, it seems.""What?" Gaal  brought his eyes to  the prosaic⁶ ground and  found a sentinelahead of them.
They  stopped before  him, and  a soft-spoken  captain materialized  from anear-by doorway⁷.
He said, "Dr. Seldon?""Yes.""We have  been waiting for you. You and your men  will be under martial⁸ lawhenceforth. I  have been instructed to  inform you that six  months will beallowed you for preparations to leave for Terminus.""Six months!"  began Gaal,  but Seldon's fingers  were upon his  elbow withgentle pressure.

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