Gorov was  released on  the thirtieth day,  and five hundred  pounds of theyellowest gold  took his place.  And with him was  released the quarantinedand untouched abomination that was his ship.
Then, as  on the journey into  the Askonian system, so  on the journey out,the   cylinder  of  sleek   little  ships   ushered  them  on   their  way.
Ponyets watched the dimly sun-lit speck¹ that was Gorov's ship while Gorov'svoice   pierced   through  to   him,   clear   and  thin   on  the   tight,distortion-bounded ether-beam.
He was saying, "But it isn't what's wanted, Ponyets. A transmuter² won't do.
Where did you get one, anyway?""I  didn't," Ponyets  answer was  patient. "I  juiced it  up out of  a foodirradiation chamber³.  It isn't  any good, really. The  power consumption isprohibitive on  any large  scale or the Foundation  would use transmutationinstead of  chasing all over the  Galaxy⁴ for heavy metals.  It's one of thestandard tricks every trader  uses, except that I never saw an iron-to-goldone  before.  But  it's  impressive,  and  it works  ? very  temporarily.""All right. But that particular trick is no good.""It got you out of a nasty spot.""That is  very far  from the point.  Especially since I've got  to go back,once we shake our solicitous⁵ escort.""Why?""You yourself explained it  to this politician of yours," Gorov's voice wason edge.  "Your entire sales-point  rested on the fact  that the transmuterwas a means to  an end, but of no value in itself?  that he was buying thegold,  not the  machine.  It was  good psychology,  since it  worked, but?
"But?" Ponyets urged blandly⁶ and

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