Foundation and Empire 25. Death Of A Psychologist

After that at that place were only two fakeweeks remaining hand to the life of Ebling Mis.And in those two weeks, requestta was with him three clock times. The first time was on the night afterwards the yeting upon which they cut Col sensationl Pritcher. The abet was one week later. And the third was again a week later on the live connote solar day the day Mis died.First, at that place was the night of Colonel Pritchers thus faring, the first hour of which was fatigued by a stricken p concisely letter in a brooding, unmerry merry-go-round.Bayta express, Torie, lets en sealed Ebling.Toran said dully, Think he can abet?Were only two. Weve got to tamp down some of the weight off. Maybe he can help.Toran said, Hes changed. Hes lost weight. Hes a little feathery a little woolly. His senses groped in air, metaphoric whollyy. Sometimes, I dont bet hell help us muchever. Sometimes, I dont withdraw anything will help.Dont Baytas voice caught and fly a break, Torie , dont When you say that, I think the scuffs getting us. Lets tell Ebling, Torie todayEbling Mis raised his transfer from the long desk, and ble atomic number 18d at them as they approached. His thinning haircloth was scuffed up, his lips made balancey, smacking sounds.Eh? he said. Someone want me?Bayta bent to her knees, Did we raise up you? Sh only we leave?Leave? Who is it? Bayta? No, no, stay Arent thither chairs? I saw them- His finger pointed wispyly.Toran pushed two ahead of him. Bayta sat down and took one of the psychologists flaccid work force in hers. May we talk to you, Doctor? She r arly r appearined the title.Is something ill-timed? A little sparkle re false to his abstracted look. His sagging cheeks regained a link of color. Is something impose on _or_ oppress?Bayta said, Captain Pritcher has been here. Let me talk, Torie. You remember Captain Pritcher, Doctor?Yes- Yes- His fingers hard up his lips and released them. Tall man. Democrat.Yes, he. Hes disco ver the mules mutation. He was here, Doctor, and told us. only if that is nonhing red-hot. The Mules mutation is straightened turn up. In honest astonishment, letnt I told you? Have I forgotten to tell you?forgotten to tell us what? put in Toran, quickly.About the Mules mutation, of course. He tampers with emotions. frantic control I fork outnt told you? Now what made me forget? Slowly, he sucked in his under lip and considered.Then, slowly, life crept into his voice and his eyelids lifted wide, as though his sluggish brain had slid onto a well-greased single track. He spoke in a dream, looking between the two listeners rather than at them. It is authentically so simple. It requires no specialized k outrightledge. In the mathematics of psychohistory, of course, it works out promptly, in a third-level equation involving no more Never look that. It can be put into ordinary haggling roughly and ease up it make sense, which isnt usual with psychohistorical phenomena.Ask y ourselves What can upset Hari Seldons c beful stratagem of history, eh? He peered from one to the other with a mild, questioning anxiety. What were Seldons original assumptions? First, that there would be no fundamental change in kindity golf-club over the next thousand years.For instance, jar against there were a study change in the Galaxys technology, such as finding a late principle for the utilization of energy, or perfecting the study of electronic neurobiology. Social changes would evidence Seldons original equations obsolete. moreover that hasnt happened, has it now?Or suppose that a new-fangled sleeve were to be invented by forces after-school(prenominal) the posterior, capable of withstanding all the knowledgeablenesss work upaments. That exponent cause a ruinous deviation, though less certainly. exactly in time that hasnt happened. The Mules Nuclear Field-Depressor was a clumsy weapon and could be countered. And that was the only renewing he presented, hapless as it was.But there was a second assumption, a more subtle one Seldon assumed that forgiving answer to stimuli would remain constant. Granted that the first assumption held true, then the second moldiness(prenominal)iness work broken down Some factor must be twisting and distorting the emotional responses of human beings or Seldon couldnt feed failed and the Foundation couldnt bewilder fallen. And what factor exclusively the Mule?Am I right? Is there a flaw in the reasoning?Baytas plump hand patted his gently. No flaw, Ebling.Mis was joyful, like a child. This and more comes so easily. I tell you I question sometimes what is passing on inside me. I come out to recall the time when so much was a mystery to me and now things ar so clear. Problems are absent. I come across what baron be one, and somehow, inside me, I see and understand. And my guesses, my theories seem al expressive styles to be borne out. Theres a drive in me endlessly onward so that I cant s top and I dont want to eat or sleep moreover ever so go on and on and on-His voice was a mouth his bragd, blue-veined hand rested tremblingly upon his forehead. There was a frenzy in his eyes that faded and went out.He said more quietly, Then I neer told you nigh the Mules mutant powers, did I? But then did you say you knew close to it?It was Captain Pritcher, Ebling, said Bayta. Remember?He told you? There was a jot of outrage in his tone. But how did he find out?Hes been pick outledgeable by the Mule. Hes a colonel now, a Mules man. He came to advise us to drop to the Mule, and he told us what you told us.Then the Mule knows were here? I must hurry Wheres Magnifico? Isnt he with you?Magnificos quiescence, said Toran, impatiently. Its past midnight, you know.It is? Then Was I sleeping when you came in?You were, said Bayta decisively, and youre not going back to work, either. Youre getting into bed. yarn-dye up on, Torie, help me. And you stop pushing at me, Ebling, because its just your luck I dont shove you under a shower first. Pull off his shoes, Torie, and tomorrow you come down here and drag him out into the open air before he fades completely a room. Look at you, Ebling, youll be developing cobwebs. Are you hungry?Ebling Mis shook his head and looked up from his cot in a peevish confusion. I want you to send Magnifico down tomorrow, he muttered.Bayta tucked the sheet around his neck. Youll have me down tomorrow, with washed clothes. Youre going to take a good bath, and then get out and tittle-tattle the farm and feel a little sun on you.I wont do it, said Mis weakly. You hear me? Im too busy.His sparse hair shell out out on the pillow like a silver boot about his head. His voice was a confidential whisper. You want that punt Foundation, dont you?Toran turned quickly and squatted down on the cot beside him. What about the here and now Foundation, Ebling?The psychologist freed an arm from beneath the sheet and his tired fingers clu tched at Torans sleeve. The Foundations were established at a great Psychological Convention presided over by Hari Seldon. Toran, I have located the published minutes of that Convention. Twenty-five fat films. I have al wangle looked through various summaries.Well?Well, do you know that it is in truth easy to find from them the exact location of the First Foundation, if you know anything at all about psychohistory. It is frequently referred to, when you understand the equations. But Toran, nobody mentions the back up Foundation, There has been no reference to it anywhere.Torans eyebrows eviscerateed into a frown. It doesnt exist?Of course it exists, cried Mis, angrily, who said it didnt? But theres less talk of it. Its significance and all about it are better unnoticeable, better obscured. Dont you see? Its the more important of the two. Its the critical one the one that counts And Ive got the minutes of the Seldon Convention. The Mule hasnt won yet-Quietly, Bayta turned the li ghts down. Go to sleepWithout speaking, Toran and Bayta made their way up to their own quarters.The next day, Ebling Mis bathed and dressed himself, saw the sun of Trantor and felt the wind of Trantor for the last time. At the end of the day he was once again submerged in the gigantic recesses of the library, and neer emerged thereafter.In the week that followed, life settled again into its groove. The sun of Neotrantor was a calm, bright star in Trantors night sky. The farm was busy with its form planting. The University grounds were silent in their desertion. The Galaxy seemed empty. The Mule might never have existed.Bayta was thinking that as she watched Toran light his cigar carefully and look up at the sections of blue sky visible between the swarming metal spires that surrounded the horizon.Its a nice day, he said.Yes, it is. Have you everything mentioned on the list, Torie?Sure. Half vanquish butter, dozen eggs, string beans Got it all down here, Bay. Ill have it right.G ood. And make sure the vegetables are of the last harvest and not museum relics. Did you see Magnifico anywhere, by the way?Not since breakfast. Guess hes down with Ebling, watching a book-film.All right. Dont waste any time, because Ill need the eggs for dinner.Toran left with a backward pull a slip and a wave of the hand.Bayta turned away as Toran slid out of snoop among the maze of metal. She hesitated before the kitchen door, about-faced slowly, and entered the colonnade leading to the elevator that burrowed down into the recesses.Ebling Mis was there, head bent down over the eyepieces of the projector, motionless, a frozen, questing body. Near him sat Magnifico, screwed up into a chair, eyes sharp and watching a bundle of slatty limbs with a nose emphasizing his scrawny face.Bayta said softly, Magnifico-Magnifico scrambled to his feet. His voice was an impatient(predicate) whisper. My ladyMagnifico, said Bayta, Toran has left for the farm and wont be back for a while. Woul d you be a good boy and go out after him with a message that Ill write for you?Gladly, my lady. My small services are but too eagerly yours, for the tiny uses you can put them to.She was alone with Ebling Mis, who had not moved. Firmly, she placed her hand upon his shoulder. Ebling-The psychologist started, with a peevish cry, What is it? He wrinkled his eyes. Is it you, Bayta? Wheres Magnifico?I sent him away. I want to be alone with you for a while. She enunciated her words with exaggerated distinctness. I want to talk to you, Ebling.The psychologist made a move to return to his projector, but her hand on his shoulder was firm. She felt the swot up under the sleeve clearly. The flesh seemed to have fairly melted away since their arrival on Trantor. His face was thin, yellowish, and bore a half-week stubble. His shoulders were visibly stooped, even in a sitting position.Bayta said, Magnifico isnt bothering you, is he, Ebling? He seems to be down here night and day.No, no, no Not a t all. Why, I dont mind him. He is silent and never disturbs me. Sometimes he carries the films back and forth for me seems to know what I want without my speaking. Just let him be. Very well but, Ebling, doesnt he make you wonder? Do you hear me, Ebling? Doesnt he make you wonder?She jerked a chair close to his and stared at him as though to pull the answer out of his eyes.Ebling Mis shook his head. No. What do you mean?I mean that Colonel Pritcher and you both say the Mule can condition the emotions of human beings. But are you sure of it? Isnt Magnifico himself a flaw in the conjecture?There was silence.Bayta repressed a strong desire to shake the psychologist. Whats wrong with you, Ebling? Magnifico was the Mules merry andrew. Why wasnt he conditioned to love and credit? Why should he, of all those in contact with the Mule, hate him so.But but he was conditioned. Certainly, Bay He seemed to gather certainty as he spoke. Do you suppose that the Mule treats his clown the way h e treats his generals? He require faith and loyalty in the latter, but in his clown he needs only fear. Didnt you ever notice that Magnificos continual state of panic is ghoulish in nature? Do you suppose it is natural for a human being to be as frightened as that all the time? Fear to such an extent becomes comic. It was probably comic to the Mule and helpful, too, since it obscured what help we might have gotten earlier from Magnifico.Bayta said, You mean Magnificos information about the Mule was false?it was misleading. It was colored by pathological fear. The Mule is not the physiological giant Magnifico thinks. He is more probably an ordinary man outside his mental powers. But if it amused him to appear a superman to poor Magnifico- The psychologist shrugged. In any case, Magnificos information is no longer of importance.What is, then?But Mis shook himself loose and returned to his projector.What is, then? she repeated. The Second Foundation?The psychologists eyes jerked to wards her. Have I told you anything about that? I dont remember telling you anything. Im not ready yet. What have I told you?Nothing, said Bayta, intensely. Oh, Galaxy, youve told me nothing, but I wish you would because Im mortal(a) tired. When will it be over?Ebling Mis peered at her, vaguely rueful, Well, now, my my dear, I did not mean to hurt you. I forget sometimes who my friends are. Sometimes it seems to me that I must not talk of all this. Theres a need for secrecy but from the Mule, not from you, my dear. He patted her shoulder with a weak amiability.She said, What about the Second Foundation?His voice was automatically a whisper, thin and sibilant. Do you know the thoroughness with which Seldon covered his t scats? The proceedings of the Seldon Convention would have been of no use to me at a as little as a month ago, before this strange insight came. Even now, it seems tenuous. The papers put out by the Convention are often apparently unrelated always obscure. More t han once I wondered if the members of the Convention, themselves, knew all that was in Seldons mind. Sometimes I think he used the Convention only as a gigantic front, and single-handed erected the structure-Of the Foundations? urged Bayta.Of the Second Foundation Our Foundation was simple. But the Second Foundation was only a name. It was mentioned, but if there was any elaboration, it was hidden deep in the mathematics. There is still much I dont even begin to understand, but for seven geezerhood, the bits have been clumping together into a vague picture.Foundation Number One was a world of physical scientists. It delineate a concentration of the dying science of the Galaxy under the conditions essential to make it live again. No psychologists were included. It was a peculiar distortion, and must have had a purpose. The usual explanation was that Seldons psychohistory worked best where the individual working units human beings had no knowledge of what was coming, and could ther efore react naturally to all situations. Do you follow me, my dear-Yes, doctor.Then listen carefully. Foundation Number Two was a world of mental scientists. It was the mirror image of our world. Psychology, not physics, was king. Triumphantly. You see?I dont.But think, Bayta, use your head. Hari Seldon knew that his psychohistory could predict only probabilities, and not certainties. There was always a margin of error, and as time passed that margin increases in geometric progression. Seldon would naturally guard as well as he could against it. Our Foundation was scientifically vigorous. It could conquer armies and weapons. It could pit force against force. But what of the mental assault of a mutant such as the Mule?That would be for the psychologists of the Second Foundation Bayta felt excitement rising within her.Yes, yes, yes CertainlyBut they have done nothing so far.How do you know they havent?Bayta considered that, I dont. Do you have evidence that they have?No. There are m any factors I know nothing of. The Second Foundation could not have been established full- big(p), any more than we were. We developed slowly and grew in force-out they must have also. The stars know at what stage their strength is now. Are they strong enough to fight the Mule? Are they sure of the danger in the first place? Have they capable leading?But if they follow Seldons plan, then the Mule must be beat out by the Second Foundation.Ah, and Ebling Miss thin face wrinkled thoughtfully, is it that again? But the Second Foundation was a more difficult job than the First. Its complexness is hugely greater and consequently so is its possibility of error. And if the Second Foundation should not beat the Mule, it is bad ultimately bad. It is the end, may be, of the human race as we know it.No.Yes. If the Mules descendants inherit his mental powers You see? Homo sapiens could not compete. There would be a new dominant race a new aristocracy with homo sapiens demoted to slave la bor as an inferior race. Isnt that so?Yes, that is so.And even if by some chance the Mule did not establish a dynasty, he would still establish a distorted new Empire upheld by his personal power only. It would die with his death the Galaxy would be left where it was before he came, except that there would no longer be Foundations around which a real and healthy Second Empire could coalesce. It would mean thousands of years of barbarism. It would mean no end in sight.What can we do? Can we warn the Second Foundation?We must, or they may go under through ignorance, which we can not risk. But there is no way of warning them.No way?I dont know where they are located. They are at the other end of the Galaxy but that is all, and there are millions of worlds to choose from.But, Ebling, dont they say? She pointed vaguely at the films that covered the table.No, they dont. Not where I can find it yet. The secrecy must mean something. There must be a reason- A puzzled expression returned to his eyes. But I wish youd leave. I have wasted enough time, and its growing short its growing short.He tore away, petulant and frowning.Magnificos soft step approached. Your conserve is home, my lady.Ebling Mis did not greet the clown. He was back at his projector.That evening Toran, having listened, spoke, And you think hes really right, Bay? You think he isnt- He hesitated.He is right, Torie. Hes sick, I know that. The change thats come over him, the loss in weight, the way he speaks hes sick. But as soon as the subject of the Mule or the Second Foundation, or anything he is working on, comes up, listen to him. He is lucid and clear as the sky of outer space. He knows what hes lecture about. I believe him.Then theres hope. It was half a question.I I havent worked it out. Maybe Maybe not Im carrying a blaster from now on. The shiny-barreled weapon was in her hand as she spoke. Just in case, Torie, just in case.In case what?Bayta laughed with a touch of hysteria, Never mind. May be Im a little crazy, too like Ebling Mis.Ebling Mis at that time had seven days to live, and the seven days slipped by, one after the other, quietly.To Toran, there was a fibre of stupor about them. The warming days and the dull silence covered him with lethargy. All life seemed to have lost its quality of action, and changed into an infinite sea of hibernation.Mis was a hidden entity whose burrowing work produced nothing and did not make itself known. He had barricaded himself. Neither Toran nor Bayta could see him. Only Magnificos go-between characteristics were evidence of his existence. Magnifico, grown silent and thoughtful, with his tiptoed trays of food and his still, watchful witness in the gloom.Bayta was more and more a creature of herself. The vivacity died, the self-assured competence wavered. She, too, sought her own worried, listless company, and once Toran bad come upon her, fingering her blaster. She had put it away quickly, labored a smile.What are you doing wi th it, Bay?Holding it. Is that a crime?Youll excrescence your fool head off.Then Ill blow it off. Small loss hook up with life had taught Toran the futility of arguing with a female in a brownish mood. He shrugged, and left her.On the last day, Magnifico scampered breathless into their presence. He clutched at them, frightened. The learned doctor calls for you. He is not well.And he wasnt well. He was in bed, his eyes unnaturally large, unnaturally bright. He was dirty, unrecognizable.Ebling cried Bayta.Let me speak, croaked the psychologist, lifting his weight to a thin elbow with an effort. Let me speak. I am finished the work I pass on to you. I have kept no notes the scrap-figures I have destroyed. No other must know. All must remain in your minds.Magnifico, said Bayta, with rough directness. Go upstairsReluctantly, the clown rose and took a backward step. His sad eyes were on Mis.Mis gestured weakly, He wont matter let him stay. Stay, Magnifico.The clown sat down quickly. Bay ta gazed at the floor.Slowly, slowly, her frown lip caught in her teeth.Mis said, in a hoarse whisper, I am convinced the Second Foundation can win, if it is not caught prematurely by the Mule. It has kept itself secret the secrecy must be upheld it has a purpose. You must go there your information is vital may make all the difference. Do you hear me?Toran cried in near-agony, Yes, yes Tell us how to get there, Ebling? Where is it?I can tell you, said the faint voice.He never did.Bayta, face frozen white, lifted her blaster and shot, with an echoing clap of noise. From the waist upward, Mis was not, and a ragged hole was in the wall behind. From numb fingers, Baytas blaster dropped to the floor.