Prelude to Foundation

“Heatsinkers, I have two introductions to make. We have visitors from outside-two Outworlders, two scholars. They’ve got worlds running short on energy and they’ve come here to see how we do it here in Dahl. They think they may learn something.”

“They’ll learn how to sweat!” shouted a heatsinker and there was raucous laughter.

“She’s got a sweaty chest right now,” shouted a woman, “covering up like that.” Dors shouted back, “I’d take it off, but mine can’t compete with yours.”

The laughter turned good-natured.

But one young man stepped forward, staring at Seldon with intense deep-set eyes, his face set into a humorless mask. He said, “I know you. You’re the mathematician.”

He ran forward, inspecting Seldon’s face with eager solemnity. Automatically, Dors stepped in front of Seldon and Lindor stepped in front of her, shouting, “Back, heatsinker. Mind your manners.”

Seldon said, “Wait! Let him talk to me. Why is everyone piling in front of me?”

Lindor said in a low voice, “If any of them get close, you’ll find they don’t smell like hothouse flowers.”

“I’ll endure it,” said Seldon brusquely. “Young man, what is it you want?”

“My name is Amaryl. Yugo Amaryl. I’ve seen you on holovision.”

“You might have, but what about it?”

“I don’t remember your name.”

“You don’t have to.”

“You talked about something called psychohistory.”

“You don’t know how I wish I hadn’t.”

“What?”

“Nothing. What is it you want?”

“I want to talk to you. Just for a little while. Now.”

Seldon looked at Lindor, who shook his head firmly. “Not while he’s on his shift.”

“When does your shift begin, Mr. Amaryl?” asked Seldon.

“Sixteen hundred.”

“Can you see me tomorrow at fourteen hundred?”

“Sure. Where?”

Seldon turned to Tisalver. Would you permit me to see him in your place?”

Tisalver looked very unhappy. “Its not necessary. He’s just a heatsinker.”

Seldon said, “He recognized my face. He knows something about me. He can’t be just an anything. I’ll see him in my room.” And then, as Tisalver’s face didn’t soften, he added, “My room, for which rent is being paid. And you’ll be at work, out of the apartment.”

Tisalver said in a low voice, “It’s not me, Master Seldon. It’s my wife, Casilia. She won’t stand for it.”

“I’ll talk to her,” said Seldon grimly. “She’ll have to.”

64.

Casilia Tisalver opened her eyes wide. “A heatsinker? Not in my apartment.”

“Why not? Besides, he’ll be coming to my room,” said Seldon. “At fourteen hundred.”

“I won’t have it,” said Mistress Tisalver. “This is what comes of going down to the heatsinks. Jirad was a fool.”

“Not at all, Mistress Tisalver. We went at my request and I was fascinated. I must see this young man, since that is necessary to my scholarly work.”

“I’m sorry if it is, but I won’t have it.”

Dors Venabili raised her hand. “Hari, let me take care of this. Mistress Tisalver, if Dr. Seldon must see someone in his room this afternoon, the additional person naturally means additional rent. We understand that. For today, then, the rent on Dr. Seldon’s room will be doubled.”

Mistress Tisalver thought about it. “Well, that’s decent of you, but it’s not only the credits. There’s the neighbors to think of. A sweaty, smelly heatsinker-”

“I doubt that he’ll be sweaty and smelly at fourteen hundred, Mistress Tisalver, but let me go on. Since Dr. Seldon must see him, then if he can’t see him here, he’ll have to see him elsewhere, but we can’t run here and there. That would be too inconvenient. Therefore, what we will have to do is to get a room elsewhere. It won’t be easy and we don’t want to do it, but we will have to. So we will pay the rent through today and leave and of course we will have to explain to Master Hummin why we have had to change the arrangements that he so kindly made for us.”

“Wait.” Mistress Tisalver’s face became a study of calculation. “We wouldn’t like to disoblige Master Hummin… or you two. How long would this creature have to stay?”

“He’s coming at fourteen hundred. He must be at work at sixteen hundred. He will be here for less than two hours, perhaps considerably less. We will meet him outside, the two of us, and bring him to Dr. Seldon’s room. Any neighbors who see us will think he is an Outworlder friend of ours.”

Mistress Tisalver nodded her head. “Then let it be as you say. Double rent for Master Seldon’s room for today and the heatsinker will visit just this one time.”

“Just this one time,” said Dors.

But later, when Seldon and Dors were sitting in her room, Dors said, “Why do you have to see him, Hari? Is interviewing a heatsinker important to psychohistory too?”