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基地系列:第二基地|Second Foundation

第一部 骡的寻找 第一章 二人与骡|PART I SEARCH BY THE MULE

属类: 双语小说 【分类】魔幻小说 -[作者: 艾萨克-阿西莫夫] 阅读:[9540]
《第二基地》是“基地”系列三部曲的最后一部。“谜”一般的第二基地的存在成了众矢之的,骡要铲除它,而第一基地的移民为了一个完全不同的理由也必须找到它,但是它究竟在哪里呢?这部故事就是各方人马找寻第二基地的传奇。骡倾全力寻找并铲除第二基地,却失败了。随后,基地人员也千方百计寻找第二基地,因为他们不愿把建立新帝国的功业拱手让人。谁也没想到,寻找的线索竟维系在一位小女孩身上。十四岁的艾嘉蒂娅怕得要死,她究竟发现了有关第二基地的什么秘密呢?
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骡……直到第一基地陷落后,骡政权的建设性才终于显现。在第一银河帝国真正土崩瓦解之后,他是首位拥有一个真正辽阔宇宙空间的统治者。早先由基地所建立的商业帝国,虽然有心理史学的预言作为无形的后盾,然而结构却过于松散,并且内部星多元发展。相较之下,骡所建立的“行里联邦”,却是一个控制严密的泛银河政权。尤其是在所谓的“寻找时期”……

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——《银河百科全书》

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关于骡以及他所建立的“帝国”,《银河百科全书》其实已用了许多篇幅详加叙述。不过,其中几乎绝大多数与这个故事没有密切关系,而且大都相当枯燥无味。简单地说,它主要是在阐述导致“联邦第一公民”崛起的各种背景条件,以及其后的各种影响——“联邦第一公民”便是骡的正式头衔。

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如果说,百科全书中“骡”这一条的作者,曾经对骡在短短五年间赤手空拳打下银河大片江山的事实,感到某种程度的讶异,那么他把这个情绪隐藏得很好。而骡的扩张一下戛然而止,进入为期五年的“守成期”,这个发展若是令作者惊讶不已,他也完全没有在字里行间显露出来。

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因此我们只好舍弃《银河百科全书》,继续沿用我们说故事的老路子,开始审视第一与第二银河帝国之间的“大断层”历史中,紧接在五年守成期之后的发展。

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“联邦”的政治相当稳定,经济也可说是繁荣富庶。在骡的专制统治之下,竟然出现了罕有的太平岁月,因此鲜有人愿意回到过去那种动荡不安的时代。在那些五年前自称为“基地体系”的世界中,也许偶尔会有些怀旧、惋惜的情绪出现,可是却也仅止于此而已。基地体系的领导阶层,没有利用价值的全部遭到处决,尚有利用价值的则一律已经“投诚”。

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而在投诚的人士当中,最受骡重用的一位便是汉·普利吉,他现在已经是一名中将。

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在基地时代,汉·普利吉是情报局的上尉军官,也是地下民主反动派的成员。当骡兵不血刃地拿下基地之后,普利吉曾经与骡势不两立,甚至试图行刺骡,直到他成为一名“投诚者”为止。

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汉·普利吉的投诚并不是普通情况之下的见风转舵,这一点他完全心知肚明。他知道,自己的心意之所以会有一百八十度的转变,乃是由于骡是一个突变种,具有强大的精神力量,能够随意改变他人的心志。不过普利吉对这点非常满意,认为这是一件理所当然的事情。事实上,对于投诚的状况心满意足,就是投诚的主要征状之一。不过对于这个问题,汉·普利吉却连半点好奇心也没有。

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他现在刚刚结束第五次的远征,从联邦境外的银河星空归来。这位经验丰富的太空人兼情报员,对于即将晋见第一公民这件事,感到实在没有什么意思。不过,他那张似乎由没有纹理的木材刻成、仿佛永远无法露出笑容的严肃脸孔,却一点未曾表露出这种情绪。反正对骡而言,任何的表情或行为语言都是没有必要的,因为他可以直接透视别人内心的情感,一直钻到他人心灵最细微之处。就好像有些普通人擅于察言观色,能够从眉毛的轻微抽动,感知出对方情绪的变化。

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普利吉依照规定,将他的飞车停在当年总督所用的车库中,徒步走进官邸前面的广场。他沿着画有箭头的路径走了一公里,一路上都空无一人且静寂无声。普利吉知道,在官邸周围巨大的广场内,根本没有一名警卫或士兵,也没有任何的武装人员。

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骡并不需要任何人保护。

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骡本人,就是他自己最佳的、全能的守护神。

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当官邸耸立在他眼前时,普利吉只听得见自己阵阵轻响的脚步声。这座建筑物的外墙由坚固的金属制成,发出辉煌耀眼的闪光。其中的拱门设计得大胆而夸张,参差交错地展开在半空中,充分表现出昔日帝国的建筑风格。偌大的空旷广场内,这座官邸傲然地耸立其中,居高临下俯视着地平线上拥挤的城市。

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官邸里面住的就是那个人——就只有他自己一个人。一个新的贵族政体,以及联邦的整个政治架构,全都建立在他超人的精神异禀之上。

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当这位将军走近时,巨大、光滑而沉重的外门便缓缓打开。他走了进去,步上一个宽广的坡道,滑梯载着他无声无息地迅速上升。随后他来到官邸中最灿烂的尖塔,置身于一扇朴素的小门之前,那扇门后面就是骡的房间。

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此时,门打开了……

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拜尔·程尼斯的年纪很轻,而拜尔·程尼斯并非一个“招安者”。用比较普通的话来说,就是他的情感结构并未被骡动过手脚。他的七情六欲,以及他的心志与意念,仍旧完全由先天的素质与后天的环境决定。对于这一点,他自己也感到很满意他的年纪还下到三十,却已经在这个首都相当有名气。他生得英俊,头脑又精明,因此在社会上十分吃得开。而且由于他聪明伶俐,却又不失沉着冷静,所以在骡的面前也很得宠。对于这两方面的成就,他自己当然觉得极为骄傲。

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今天,骡竟然私下召见他,这还是破天荒头一遭。

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他徒步走在光洁的路径上,一路向铝质尖塔丛的方向前进。在帝国时代,那里曾经是卡尔根总督的官邸,他们奉皇帝的名义统治着卡尔根。后来,那里又成为独立统领的官邸,他们以本身的名义统治着卡尔根。如今,它则是联邦第一公民的官邸,骡以这里作为根据地,统治着自己一手建立的帝国。

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程尼斯随口轻哼着小调,对于骡这次召见自己的目的,他一点都不感到纳闷。自然是关于第二基地的事!那个无所不在的幽灵,骡只是因为对它有所顾忌,便毅然下令中止了无止境的扩张政策,改而采用安稳的静态统治路线。而根据官方的说法,则是进入了一个“守成期”。

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目前外界流传着好些谣言——这种事谁也制止不了,诸如:骡准备再度发动攻势;骡发现了第二基地的下落,即将要展开袭击;骡与第二基地达成了一项协定,双方同意瓜分银河;骡终于相信第二基地并不存在,马上便要将整个银河纳入势力范围……

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像这类在大街小巷随时都能听到的谣言,根本不值得在此一一列举。而且谣言也不是第一次出笼,只不过如今似乎比较具体一点。这种山雨欲来的态势,对于不安于稳定呆滞的太平岁月,而希望在战争、军事冒险、政治危机中大捞一票的投机分子而言,实在是一件值得高兴的事情。

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拜尔·程尼斯就是其中之一。他并不惧怕神秘的第二基地,甚至对骡也无所畏惧。对于这一点,他也常常引以为傲。有些人对他的年少得志看不顺眼,认为他只是个轻浮的花花公子,稍微有那么一点小聪明,竟然就敢公然嘲讽骡的外貌,以及他的隐居式生活。那些人全都在冷眼旁观,可能正等着看他受到报应。没有人胆敢附和程尼斯,也没有几个人敢发笑。然而奇怪的是,程尼斯却始终安然无事,这使他的声誉反而越来越高。

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程尼斯顺着自己所哼的小调,唱了几句即兴的歌词。他的歌词反复而单调,没有什么意义:“第二基地,威胁我们的国家,威胁着宇宙万物。”

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他终于走到了官邸之前。

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巨大、光滑而沉重的外门缓缓打开。他走了进去,步上一个宽广的坡道,滑梯载着他无声无息地迅速上升。随后他来到官邸中最灿烂的尖塔,置身于一扇朴素的小门之前,那扇门后面就是骡的房间。

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此时,门打开了……

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骡没有其他的名字,他的头衔也只有一个——联邦第一公民。现在,他正透过单向透光的墙壁向外望去,眺望着耸立在地平线上灯火通明的城市。

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在渐渐黯淡的薄暮中,星辰一颗颗绽现。这些星辰尽皆臣服于他的脚下。

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想到这里,他便露出微笑,笑容中还带着一丝悲痛。因为世人所效忠的对象,竟然是一个深居简出的人物。他生得其貌不扬,乍看之下难免令人忍俊不禁。他的体重仅有一百二十磅,身高却有五尺八寸:四肢骨瘦如柴,好像是随便挂在皮包骨的身躯上。而他瘦削的脸庞,则几乎被三寸高的大鼻子全部遮掩。

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惟独他的眼睛与滑稽的外表极不相称,那对眼睛是如此温柔——对于银河最伟大的征服者而言,那实在是一种奇异的温柔。而其中哀伤的眼神,也从来未曾完全消退。

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此地是一个繁华世界的繁华首都,其间充满了各种欢乐。他曾经考虑过定都于基地,那是他所征服过最强大的对手,可是它却远在银河最外缘。卡尔根的位置则较为适中,此外,这里有着贵族政体的悠久传统,就战略观点而言,对他也较为有利。

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然而此地传统的欢乐气氛,再加上空前的繁华景象,并不能让他的心境平静下来。

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人们敬畏他,服从他,甚至也许还尊敬他——不过却是敬而远之。谁看到他能不产生轻蔑的情绪呢?当然,那些回转者例外。但是他们的人造忠诚又有什么价值?简直是太乏味了。他大可为自己加上许多封号与头衔,发明各种繁复的仪典礼数,可是那样做也绝对无法改变任何事实。最好——或者至少是“不妨”——就当一个“第一公民”,并且将自己隐藏起来吧。

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他突然感到心中涌现出一股报复的念头,既强烈又残酷——银河中不准有任何一处反抗他。五年以来,他一直深居简出,藏身在卡尔根,就是因为顾忌虚无缥缈的第二基地,顾忌它可能构成的无止境又无所不在的神秘威胁。他如今才三十四岁,年纪并不算大——但是他却感觉自己已经衰老。虽然具有突变的强大精神力量,他的肉体却实在孱弱不堪。

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每一颗星辰!每一颗目力所及的星辰——还有肉眼不可见的那些,全都要为他所有!

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他要对所有的人报复,因为他并不属于人类;他要对整个银河报复,因为银河不能让他称心如意。

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头上的警告灯突然轻轻闪起。他知道有人走进了官邸,并且能够感知那人的行径。同时,在这寂寞的暮色中,他突变的感应力似乎变得更强烈、更敏锐,使他感觉到那人的情感起伏,正不停敲击着自己大脑中的纤维。

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他毫不费力就知晓了来者的身份,那是普利吉。

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昔日基地的普利吉上尉,从未受过那个腐败政府的重用,只是一名小小的间谍而已。而他将基地铲除之后,开始大力拔擢普利吉,先授他以一级上校之阶,进而将他晋升为一名将军。如今,普利吉将军的活动范围已经涵盖整个银河。

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这位普利吉将军,过去曾经是一名最顽强的敌人,现在却是百分之百忠心耿耿。然而,他这种转变并非因为得到了任何利益,也不是为了感激骡的知遇之恩,更没有什么交换条件,而纯粹只是回转造成的结果。

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对于汉·普利吉强固不变的表层意识——忠诚与敬爱,骡可以感觉得很清楚。这层意识是他五年前亲自植入的,它控制着普利吉情感中每一个小小的波纹。在这个表层之下,还深埋着一个原本的自我——顽固的个性、对体制的叛逆以及理想主义。不过,即使是骡自己,现在也已经几乎察觉不到。

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身后的门打开了,他转过身来。原本透光的墙壁立时变成不透明,紫色的霞光随即消失,室内亮起了核灯泡的白炽光芒。

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汉·普利吉在指定的位置坐下。由于这是私下的召见,他并没有对骡鞠躬或下跪,也没有使用任何敬称。骡仅只是“第一公民”,只需要称呼他“阁下”即可,在他面前任何人都可以坐下,即使是背对着他也无妨——假如真有人敢这么做。

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这一切,对于汉·普利吉而言,都是这位大人物对本身力量充满自信的证明,他对这一点可说是由衷地感到满意。

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骡开口说道:“我昨天收到了你的报告,我不讳言有些失望,普利吉。”

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将军的一对眉毛凑到了一块:“是的,我也这么想——但是我实在无法得到别的结论。事实上,第二基地真的不存在,阁下。”

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骡沉思了一会儿,然后缓缓地摇摇头,这是他的习惯性动作:“可是艾布林·米斯曾经发现过证据,我们一刻也不能忘记艾布林·米斯所发现的证据。”

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这些话骡说过不知多少次了。普利吉毫不犹豫,单刀直入地说:“米斯虽然是基地最伟大的心理学家,可是一旦与哈里·谢顿相比,他只能算是一个婴儿。他对谢顿当年工作所做的那些研究,是在您的精神控制与刺激之下进行的。也许您逼得他太紧,他可能做出了错误的结论。阁下,他一定是弄错了。”

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骡叹了一口气,悲哀的脸庞从细瘦的脖子向前突出。他说:“如果他能再多活一分钟就好了,他当时正要把第二基地的下落说出来。我告诉你,他的确知道。如果真是这样的话,那我根本不用隐遁,不必一等再等。如今已经浪费了那么多时间,五年就这么白白溜走了。”

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对于他的主子如此软弱的渴盼,普利吉不能产生任何反感,受控的心灵绝不允许他这么想。反之,他感到有些忧虑不安,因此说道:“阁下,可是除此之外,还能有什么其他的解释呢?我为您进行了五次探索,由您亲自选定路线,我保证把每一个小行星都翻遍了。那是三百年以前的事——据说旧帝国的哈里·谢顿建立了两个基地,作为新帝国的核心,以取代那个垂死的旧帝国。谢顿死后一百年,第一基地——我们大家都极为熟悉的那个基地——已在银河外缘变得家喻户晓。谢顿死后一百五十年,基地与旧帝国进行最后一战时,它的名声就传遍了整个银河。如今已经过了三百年,那个谜一般的第二基地究竟在哪里呢?它在银河中没有制造过一个小漩涡般的消息。”

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“艾布林·米斯说它将自己隐藏得很好,惟有如此,它才能够掩饰弱点,进而发挥敌明我暗的力量。”

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“除非它不存在,否则绝对不可能隐藏得那么彻底。”

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骡抬起头来,大眼睛露出锐利而机警的目光。

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“不对,它的确存在。”他用一根瘦骨嶙峋的手指,猛然指向普利吉:“我们的战略需要作一点改变。”

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普利吉皱着眉头说:“您计划要亲自出马?我可不敢苟同这个想法。”

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“不,当然不是。你必须再去一次——最后一次。不过这次要跟另一个人联合指挥。”

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在一阵沉默之后,普利吉以不悦的语调问道:“阁下,请问是跟谁?”

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“跟卡尔根本地的一个年轻人,拜尔·程尼斯。”

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“阁下,我从来就没有听过这个人。”

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“我知道你没听过。不过程尼斯这个人心思灵敏,野心也不小——而且他还未曾回转。”

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普利吉的长下巴抽动了一下:“我看不出这样做有什么好处。”

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“有好处的,普利吉。虽然你机智过人,又有丰富的经验,而且对我绝无二心,不过你是一个回转者,你的忠诚是出于强制性的刺激,自己根本做不了主。你在回转之后丧失了一点东西,一种微妙的自我驱策,而这却是我无法弥补的。”

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“阁下,我一点也没有这种感觉。”普利吉绷着脸说,“我仍然清楚记得和您为敌的那段日子,我认为自己现在绝不比当年差。”

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“自然没有,”骡的嘴角撇出一个微笑,“对于这个问题,你的判断是很不客观的。那个程尼斯,嗯,他是个野心勃勃的家伙,凡事只为自己着想。他百分之百可靠——并非因为他对我忠诚,而是由于他极端自私。他明白惟有依附着我,自己才能水涨船高。为了增加我的力量,他会不惜任何代价去做任何事情。因为他相信,这样他就能分享绝大的甜头。他跟你一块去,会比你多带着一股驱动的力量——为了自己着想而产生的驱策。”

66
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“这么说的话,”普利吉仍然坚决反对,“为什么不干脆将我的回转解除?假如您认为这样可以改善我的能力——现在您绝对可以信得过我。”

67
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“普利吉,那是不可能的事。当你在我面前,或者说,在武器的射程范围之内,你必须牢牢地维持着回转状态。倘若我现在将你的控制解除,下一分钟我就会是个死人。”

68
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将军的鼻孔翕张着,他抗议道:“您这么想,让我觉得很难过。”

69
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“我并不想伤害你。但假使你的感情能循着自然的动机自由发展,你绝对无法想像那将会变成什么样的状况。每个人都痛恨受到控制,也就是因为如此,普通的催眠师绝对无法将非自愿者催眠。不过我却可以做到这一点,因为我并不是催眠师。相信我的话,普利吉,你无法显露——甚至无从察觉的恨意,是我无论如何不愿面对的。”

70
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普利吉低下了头,一股莫名的无力感铺天盖地而来,令他的内心感到沉重而灰暗。他勉强开口道:“可是您又如何能够相信那个人?我的意思是说,完全地信任他,就好像信任我这个回转者一样。”

71
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“是啊,我也认为不可以完全相信他。这就是你必须跟他一同行动的原因,懂了吧,普利吉。”骡将自己的身躯埋在高大的扶手椅中,靠着柔软的椅背,看起来好像一团会动的牙签。然后他再说:“如果他真的能找到第二基地——万一他竟然想到,和他们打交道也许会比跟着我更有利可图——你了解了吗?”

72
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普利吉的眼睛流露出极度满意的光彩,他说:“这样好多了,阁下。”

73
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“正是这样子。不过你要记住,必须尽量给他行动自由。”

74
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“那当然。”

75
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“此外……嗯……普利吉,那个年轻人生得英俊,性情又好,非常讨人喜欢。你可别被他唬住了,他其实是个既危险又无情的角色。你不要随便和他作对,除非你已有万全的准备。我该说的都说完了。”

76
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于是骡又变成孤独一人。他关掉灯光,又踢了一下开关,让墙壁重新转成透明。天空仍是一片紫色,城市则成了地平线上的一团光点。

77
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这一切有什么意义?如果他真成了万物的主宰又如何?那样就能使普利吉这种人不再高大强壮、充满自信吗?就能够令拜尔·程尼斯变得丑陋不堪吗?又可以让自己完全改头换面吗?

78
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他诅咒自己内心的这些疑惑,可是自己究竟在追求什么呢?

79
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头上的警告灯突然轻轻闪起。他知道有人走进了官邸,并且能够感知那人的行径。同时,虽然他并不想那么做,却仍旧感到了那人情感的轻微起伏,不停地敲击着自己大脑中的纤维。

80
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他毫不费力就知晓了来者的身份,那是程尼斯。在程尼斯的心灵中,骡察觉不出任何一点整齐划一的情绪,那里只有一个顽强心灵中的原始复杂性格,受到宇宙间杂乱无章的万事万物影响,从来没有被好好塑造过。程尼斯的心思如巨浪般汹涌澎湃,表面覆着一层谨慎的念头,但却十分薄弱,暗处的漩涡里竟是刻薄下流的言语。更深的层次涌动着自私自利的洪流,还有残酷的想法到处迸溅。而在最底下的那一层,则是由野心构筑成的无底洞。

81
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骡感觉自己可以接触到这一切的情绪,并且能够轻而易举地把它们阻住,然后扭转这些情感之流,再将它们抽干,进而引出新的奔流。但是,这样做又有什么用?即使他能让程尼斯满头卷发的脑袋,充满对自己由衷的崇敬,难道就能因此改变他丑怪的外貌,让他不再诅咒白昼而热爱黑夜,不再隐遁在自己的帝国中一个幽暗的角落里?

82
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身后的门打开了,他转过身来。原本透光的墙壁立时变成下透明,紫色的霞光随即消失,室内亮起了核灯泡的白炽光芒。

83
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拜尔·程尼斯轻快地坐下,开口道:“阁下,这份荣幸对我而言并不意外。”

84
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骡伸出四根手指摸了摸他的长鼻子,用不太高兴的语气回答道:“为什么呢,年轻人?”

85
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“我想是一种预感吧。除非我愿意承认,我也曾经听过那些谣言。”

86
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“谣言?谣言有数十种不同的版本,你指的是哪一个?”

87
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“就是即将重新展开泛银河攻势的那个谣言。我倒希望这是真的,如果真是这样的话,我也许能在其中扮演一个适当的角色。”

88
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“这么说,你认为第二基地的确存在喽?”

89
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“有什么不对吗?这样就能使这一切变得有趣多啦。”

90
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“你还发现这是一件有趣的事?”

91
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“当然啦,因为它神秘无比!想要训练自己的想像力,练习作出合理的臆测,还有什么比这更好的题目?最近报纸的附刊中,全是有关这方面的文章——这也许就能说明它有多热门。《宇宙报》的一位专栏作家,写了一篇很古怪的文章,内容是关于一个纯粹由心灵主宰的世界——您知道,就是第二基地——说那里的人发展出来的精神力量,其能量的强大程度,足以和任何已知的物理科学匹敌。例如可以在数光年之外,将敌方的星舰击毁,并且能将行星驱离原有的轨道……

92
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“没错,的确很有意思。不过对于这个问题,你自己有没有什么看法?你同意那种心灵力量的说法吗?”

93
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“银河在上,我才不信呢!您想想看,如果真有那种超人存在,他们怎么可能会安分地待在自己的行星上?不可能的,阁下,我认为第二基地之所以隐藏起来,是因为它的力量远比我们想像中的薄弱。”

94
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“这样的话,我就很容易向你解释自己的想法了。你愿不愿意率领一个探险队,去寻找第二基地?”

95
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一时之间,这个突如其来的状况似乎令程尼斯有些不知所措,因为所有发展都比他预料的要快一拍。他的舌头显然是僵住了,久久说不出话来。

96
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骡以丝毫不带感情的语气问:“怎么样?”

97
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程尼斯的额头皱成了数褶:“当然好,但是我要到哪里去找呢?您有没有任何情报?”

98
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“普利吉将军会跟你一起去……”

99
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“那么就不是由我带队了?”

100
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“等我说完你再自己决定。听好,你并不是基地人,而是在卡尔根土生土长的,对不对?好,那么,你对谢顿计划的了解可能很模糊。当第一银河帝国开始衰落时,哈里·谢顿与一群心理史学家,利用某些数学工具分析未来的历史发展——在如今这个退化的时代,那些数学已经完全失传了——然后他们就设立了两个基地,分别置于银河的两个端点。根据他们的计算,随着经济与社会背景的逐渐演化,这两个基地将发展成为第二帝国。哈里·谢顿预计这一切可以在千年之内完成,而如果没有这两个基地的话,却需要经过三万年的时间,那个第二帝国才会出现。然而我却不在他的算计之中,因为我是一个突变种,心理史学只能处理群众的平均反应,所以无法预测我的出现。你了解我说的话吗?”

101
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“我完全明白,阁下,可是这些跟我又有什么关系?”

102
-

“这点你马上就会知道了。因为我打算现在就统一银河——提前七百年完成谢顿的千年大计。在我的统治之下,第一基地——那个物理科学家的世界——如今兴盛依旧。他们以联邦的繁荣与安定作为后盾,所发展的核武器足以横扫整个银河——或许只有第二基地例外,所以我一定要对它多了解一些。普利吉将军坚决相信它不存在,但我却知道事实并非如此。”

103
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程尼斯用谨慎的口吻问道:“阁下,您又是如何知道的?”

104
-

骡的语气突然明显地充满愤怒:“因为许多在我控制下的心灵,如今都受到了外力干扰。做得很细微!很精妙!但仍旧被我察觉到了。这种干扰现象不断增加,常常在紧要关头发生在重要人物身上。因此这些年来,我必须小心谨慎,不能轻举妄动。现在你知道原因了吗?”

105
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“就这一方面而言,你具有得天独厚的优点。普利吉将军是我最得力的手下,所以他的处境并不安全。当然,他自己并不知道这一点。然而你不是回转者,因此不容易立刻被人发现你在为我工作。比起我的任何部下,你可以将第二基地瞒骗得更久——也许刚好足够久,你了解吗?”

106
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“嗯——是的。但是,阁下,请允许我再问您一个问题——您那些手下究竟是如何被干扰的?如果能让我知道的话,若是普利吉将军发生了什么变化,我也许就能察觉得到。他们是否不再回转了?是不是失去了对您的忠心?”

107
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“不,我说过干扰极为细微精妙,比你想像的更加麻烦。由于那种变化很难识破,有时我在采取行动之前,必须静观其变,因为不能确定某个重要人物的变化,究竟是干扰的结果,抑或仅是普通的反常现象。他们的忠诚并没有改变,可是创造力与智慧却大打折扣。表面上看起来,一个个完全正常,但是全都成了废物。在过去一年间,就有六个人发生了这种变化,六个我最得力的手下。”他一边的嘴角微微上扬,然后说,“他们现在被派去管理训练中心。我衷心希望,不会发生任何需要他们做出决断的紧急状况。”

108
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“万一,阁下……万一下是第二基地干的呢?如果是另外一个,像您自己这样的——另一个突变种?”

109
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“对方的计划实在太谨慎小心,也太过于深谋远虑。如果只有一个人,他的行动一定不会如此沉得住气。不,那是某个世界所采取的行动,而你将是我对付它的武器。”

110
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程尼斯的眼睛亮了起来:“我非常高兴能有这个机会。”

111
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可是骡却捕捉到了对方突然暴增的情感:“显然,你起了个念头,想要立下一件盖世的功劳,让你有资格得到最大的犒赏——也许,甚至让你成为我的接班人,这个不成问题。不过,你知道,反之你也将受到最严厉的惩罚。我的情感控制能力,并不仅止于诱发忠诚之心而已。”

112
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他的嘴角露出了浅笑,看起来阴森可怖,程尼斯吓得从椅子上跳了起来。

113
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在那一瞬间,就仅仅那么一刹那,程尼斯感到一股无比的悲痛向自己袭来,其中还夹着肉体的痛楚猛扑而下,令他的心灵几乎无法承受。然而这一切却在下一瞬间消失无踪,除了一股激烈的怒火之外,没有任何迹象遗留下来。

114
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骡又开口说:“发怒是没有用的……对,现在你掩饰住了,对不对?不过我还是能知道。所以你给我牢牢记住——像刚才的那种感觉,我能够让它变得更强烈,持续得更久。我曾经以情感控制的手法处决过叛徒,我向你保证,再也没有更残酷的死法了。”

115
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他顿了一下,然后说:“我说完了。”

116
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于是,骡又变成孤独一人。他关掉灯光,又踢了一下开关,让墙壁重新转成透明。天空已经被黑暗笼罩,逐渐升起的“银河透镜”,在天鹅绒般深邃的太空中闪闪发光。

117
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这一团朦胧的星云,是由无数恒星组成的,由于数目实在太多,所以看来像是融合在一起,变成了一大团光耀的云朵。

118
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所有这些星体,都将是属于他的……

119
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如今只差临门一脚。他今晚可以休息了。

120
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第二基地的“执行评议会”正在举行会议,对于我们而言,他们只是许多不同的声音。会议的实际场景,以及与会者的身份,目前都还无关紧要。

121
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严格说起来,我们甚至不能妄想重塑会议的任何一幕——除非我们连所能预期的最低限度了解,都想完全牺牲掉。

122
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我们所叙述的人物都是心理学家——却也并非普通的心理学家,我们其实应该说,他们是倾向于心理学研究的科学家。这句话的意思是,他们对于心理科学的基本观念,与我们所知道的关于心理学的一切,根本就是南辕北辙。由物理科学的实证传统培养出来的科学家,他们心目中的“心理学”,与“第二基地心理学”之间仅有极模糊的关系。

123
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这就像是想要向盲人解释色彩的概念——更何况如今的这种情况,笔者与读者一样都可算是盲人。

124
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在此应该先说明的是,参与集会的所有心灵,对于彼此的工作都完全了解——不只是一般的理论而已,还包括这些理论长时间应用于特殊个体的效果。我们所熟悉的语言沟通,对他们而言完全没有必要,即使是只字片语,也等于是冗长的、多余的废话。一个手势,一声鼻息,面容的微妙变化,甚至一个意味深长的停顿,都包含了丰富无比的讯息。

125
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在做过如此的声明之后,我们就可以将会议的某一小段,翻译成极端特殊的某种语言组合。这是为了迁就读者自幼即受到物理科学熏陶的心灵,即使有可能丧失其中微妙的神韵,也是没有办法中的惟一办法。

126
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在这个会议中,由其中一个“声音”主导全场。这个“声音”属于某个与会者所有,他的头衔是“首席发言者”。

127
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他说:“究竟是什么阻止了骡当初的疯狂攻势,如今已经相当明显而确定。我不敢说这个结果应该……嗯,应该归功于我们对情况的控制。他显然差一点就找到我们,因为他借助于一位第一基地所谓的‘心理学家’,并且还以人为的方式提高那人的脑能量。当那个心理学家正要将他的发现告知骡的时候,幸好及时被击毙了。导致他被杀害的事件,相对于‘相位三’之下的所有计算,可以说完全是偶然的因素——下面请你继续说明。”

128
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于是“第五发言者”开始发言,他的声音非常有特色。这位发言者以严厉的口气说:“我们对那个情况的处理绝对是个错误。当然,如果面对强大的攻击,我们根本没有招架的余地,尤其是面对骡——一个具有强大精神力量的异人——所率领和主导的攻击。在他征服了第一基地,开始称霸银河不久之后,正确地说,是在半年之后,他就来到了川陀。在他到达川陀后,半年之内很可能就会找来此地,而他的胜算极大——正确地说,是千分之九百六十三,误差为正、负万分之五。我们花了无数的时间,分析当初使他中止的那些力量。当然,我们知道他最初的动机究竟是什么,他具有天下无双的异禀,身体却是先天畸形,这种内在的矛盾我们都能看得很清楚。然而,惟有在事后,我们才能借由洞察‘相位三’,确定骡在面对一个对他有真正感情的人,表现出反常行动的可能性。”

129
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“既然他的反常行动,取决于另外那人能否在适当时机出现,就这方面而言,整个事件只是一个偶然。我们的特务很早就发现,那人只是一个普通的女子。由于感情作祟,骡对那名女子过于信赖,因此没有控制她的心灵——而这只是因为她喜欢他。”

130
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“那个事件——对于想要了解详情的人,可以到‘中央图书馆’,去查阅对整个事件所做的数学分析——它对我们是一个警告,因为我们制止骡的方法,其实是极不合章法的。所以今天我们才会面临整个谢顿计划灰飞烟灭的危险。我的发言到此为止。”

131
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首席发言者等了一下,好让在座众人都能完全领会刚才那番话中的含意。然后他才接着说:“因此,目前的情况极不稳定。谢顿原本的计划已被扭曲,几乎到了无法挽回的地步。我在此必须强调,在这个事件中,由于我们极度欠缺先见之明,轻举妄动的结果让我们铸成了大错。我们目前所面临的危机,是整个计划彻底瓦解,再也无法恢复原状。时间不会停下来等我们的,我认为,我们只剩下最后一条路——而这个办法也相当危险。就某种意义而言,我们必须主动让骡找到我们。”

132
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他再顿了一下,看了看众人的反应,才又说了一句:“我再重复一次——就某种意义而言,必须如此。”

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THE MULE It was after the fall of the First Foundation that the constructive aspects of the Mule’s regime took shape. After the definite break-up at the first Galactic Empire, it was he who first presented history with a unified volume at space truly imperial in scope. The earlier commercial empire at the fallen Foundation had been diverse and loosely knit, despite the impalpable backing at the predictions of psycho-history. It was not to be compared with the tightly controlled ’union of Worlds’ under the Mule, comprising as it did, one-tenth the volume of the Galaxy and one-fifteenth of its population. Particularly during the era of the so-called Search....

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ENCYCLOPEDIA GALACTICA *

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* All quotations from the Encyclopedia Galactica here reproduced are taken from the 116th Edition published in 1020 F.E. by the Encyclopedia Galactica Publishing Co., Terminus, with permission of the publishers.

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There is much more that the Encyclopedia has to say on the subject of the Mule and his Empire but almost all of it is not germane to the issue at immediate hand, and most of it is considerably too dry for our purposes in any case. Mainly, the article concerns itself at this point with the economic conditions that led to the rise of the "First Citizen of the union" ?the Mule’s official title ?and with the economic consequences thereof.

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If, at any time, the writer of the article is mildly astonished at the colossal haste with which the Mule rose from nothing to vast dominion in five years, he conceals it. If he is further surprised at the sudden cessation of expansion in favor of a five-year consolidation of territory, he hides the fact.

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We therefore abandon the Encyclopedia and continue on our own path for our own purposes and take up the history of the Great Interregnum ?between the First and Second Galactic Empires ?at the end of that five years of consolidation.

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Politically, the union is quiet. Economically, it is prosperous. Few would care to exchange the peace of the Mule’s steady grip for the chaos that had preceded, On the worlds that five years previously had known the Foundation, there might be a nostalgic regret, but no more. The Foundation’s leaders were dead, where useless; and Converted, where useful.

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And of the Converted, the most useful was Han Pritcher, now lieutenant general.

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In the days of the Foundation, Han Pritcher had been a captain and a member of the underground Democratic Opposition . When the Foundation fell to the Mule without a fight, Pritcher fought the Mule. Until, that is, he was Converted.

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The Conversion was not the ordinary one brought on by the power of superior reason. Han Pritcher know that well enough. He had been changed because the Mule was a mutant with mental powers quite capable of adjusting the conditions of ordinary humans to suit himself. But that satisfied him completely. That was as it should be. The very contentment with the Conversion was a prime symptom of it, but Han Pritcher was no longer even curious about the matter.

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And now that he was returning from his fifth major expedition into the boundlessness of the Galaxy outside the union, it was with something approaching artless joy that the veteran spaceman and Intelligence agent considered his approaching audience with the "First Citizen." His hard face, gouged out of a dark, grainless wood that did not seem to be capable of smiling without cracking, didn’t show it ?but the outward indications were unnecessary. The Mule could see the emotions within, down to the smallest, much as an ordinary man could see the twitch of an eyebrow .

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Pritcher left his air car at the old vice-regal hangars and entered the palace grounds on foot as was required. He walked one mile along the arrowed highway ?which was empty and silent. Pritcher knew that over the square miles of Palace grounds, there was not one guard, not one soldier, not one armed man.

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The Mule had need of no protection.

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The Mule was his own best, all-powerful protector.

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Pritcher’s footsteps beat softly in his own cars, as the palace reared its gleaming, incredibly light and incredibly strong metallic walls before him in the daring, overblown, near-hectic arches that characterized the architecture of the Late Empire. It brooded strongly over the empty grounds, over the crowded city on the horizon.

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Within the palace was that one man ?by himself ?on whose inhuman mental attributes depended the new aristocracy, and the whole structure of the union.

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The huge, smooth door swung massively open at the general’s approach, and he entered. He stepped on to the wide, sweeping ramp that moved upward under him. He rose swiftly in the noiseless elevator. He stood before the small plain door of the Mule’s own room in the highest glitter of the palace spires .

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It opened?

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Bail Channis was young, and Bail Channis was Unconverted. That is, in plainer language, his emotional make-up had been unadjusted by the Mule. It remained exactly as it had been formed by the original shape of its heredity and the subsequent modifications of his environment. And that satisfied him, too.

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At not quite thirty, he was in marvelously good odor in the capital. He was handsome and quick-witted ?therefore successful in society. He was intelligent and self-possessed ?therefore successful with the Mule. And he was thoroughly pleased at both successes.

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And now, for the first time, the Mule had summoned him to personal audience.

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His legs carried him down the long, glittering highway that led tautly to the sponge-aluminum spires that had been once the residence of the viceroy of Kalgan, who ruled under the old emperors; and that had been later the residence of the independent Princes of Kalgan, who ruled in their own name; and that was now the residence of the First Citizen of the union, who ruled over an empire of his own.

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Channis hummed softly to himself. He did not doubt what this was all about. The Second Foundation, naturally! That all-embracing bogey , the mere consideration of which had thrown the Mule back from his policy of limitless expansion into static caution. The official term was ?"consolidation."

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Now there were rumors ?you couldn’t stop rumors. The Mule was to begin the offensive once more. The Mule had discovered the whereabouts of the Second Foundation, and would attack The Mule had come to an agreement with the Second Foundation and divided the Galaxy. The Mule had decided the Second Foundation did not exist and would take over all the Galaxy.

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No use listing all the varieties one heard in the anterooms. It was not even the first time such rumors had circulated. But now they seemed to have more body in them, and all the free, expansive Souls Who thrived on war, military adventure, and political chaos and withered in times of stability and stagnant peace were joyful .

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Bail Channis was one of these. He did not fear the mysterious Second Foundation. For that matter, he did not fear the Mule, and boasted of it. Some, perhaps, who disapproved of one at once so young and so well-off, waited darkly for the reckoning with the gay ladies’ man who employed his wit openly at the expense of the Mule’s physical appearance and sequestered life. None dared join him and few dared laugh, but when nothing happened to him, his reputation rose accordingly.

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Channis was improvising words to the tune he was humming. Nonsense words with the recurrent refrain: "Second Foundation threatens the Nation and all of Creation."

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He was at the palace.

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The huge, smooth door swung massively open at his approach and he entered. He stepped on to the wide, sweeping ramp that moved upward under him. He rose swiftly in the noiseless elevator. He stood before the small plain door of the Mule’s own room in the highest glitter of the palace spires.

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It opened?

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The man who had no name other than the Mule, and no title other than First Citizen looked out through the one-way transparency of the wall to the light and lofty city on the horizon.

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In the darkening twilight , the stars were emerging, and not one but owed allegiance to him.

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He smiled with fleeting bitterness at the thought. The allegiance they owed was to a personality few had ever seen.

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He was not a man to look at, the Mule ?not a man to look at without derision. Not more than one hundred and twenty pounds was stretched out into his five-foot-eight length. His limbs were bony stalks that jutted out of his scrawniness in graceless angularity. And his thin face was nearly drowned out in the prominence of a fleshy beak that thrust three inches outward.

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Only his eyes played false with the general farce that was the Mule. In their softness ?a strange softness for the Galaxy’s greatest conqueror ?sadness was never entirely subdued

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In the city was to be found all the gaiety of a luxurious capital on a luxurious world. He might have established his capital on the Foundation, the strongest of his now-conquered enemies, but it was far out on the very rim of the Galaxy. Kalgan, more centrally located, with a long tradition as aristocracy’s playground, suited him better ?strategically.

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But in its traditional gaiety, enhanced by unheard-of prosperity, he found no peace.

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They feared him and obeyed him and, perhaps, even respected him ?from a goodly distance. But who could look at him without contempt? Only those he had Converted. And of what value was their artificial loyalty ? It lacked flavor. He might have adopted titles, and enforced ritual and invented elaborations, but even that would have changed nothing. Better ?or at least, no worse ?to be simply the First Citizen ?and to hide himself.

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There was a sudden surge of rebellion within him ?strong and brutal . Not a portion of the Galaxy must be denied him, For five years he had remained silent and buried here on Kalgan because of the eternal, misty , space-ridden menace of the unseen, unheard, unknown Second Foundation. He was thirty-two. Not old ?but he felt old. His body, whatever its mutant mental powers, was physically weak.

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Every star! Every star he could see ?and every star he couldnt see. It must all be his!

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Revenge on all. On a humanity of which he wasn’t a part. On a Galaxy in which he didn’t fit.

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The cool, overhead warning light flickered . He could follow the progress of the man who had entered the palace, and simultaneously , as though his mutant sense had been enhanced and sensitized in the lonely twilight, he felt the wash of emotional content touch the fibers of his brain.

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He recognized the identity without an effort. It was Pritcher.

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Captain Pritcher of the one-time Foundation. The Captain Pritcher who had been ignored and passed over by the bureaucrats of that decaying government. The Captain Pritcher whose job as petty spy he had wiped out and whom he had lifted from its slime. The Captain Pritcher whom he had made first colonel and then general; whose scope of activity he had made Galaxywide.

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The now-General Pritcher who was, iron rebel though he began, completely loyal. And yet with all that, not loyal because of benefits gained, not loyal out of gratitude , not loyal as a fair return ?but loyal only through the artifice of Conversion.

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The Mule was conscious of that strong unalterable surface layer of loyalty and love that colored every swirl and eddy of the emotionality of Han Pritcher ?the layer he had himself implanted five years before. Far underneath there were the original traces of stubborn individuality, impatience of rule, idealism ?but even he, himself, could scarcely detect them any longer.

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The door behind him opened, and he turned. The transparency of the wall faded to opacity , and the purple evening light gave way to the whitely blazing glow of atomic power.

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Han Pritcher took the seat indicated. There was neither bowing, nor kneeling nor the use of honorifics in private audiences with the Mule. The Mule was merely "First Citizen." He was addressed as "sir." You sat in his presence, and you could turn your back on him if it so happened that you did.

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To Han Pritcher this was all evidence of the sure and confident power of the man. He was warmly satisfied with it.

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The Mule said: "Your final report reached me yesterday. I can’t deny that I find it somewhat depressing, Pritcher."

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The general’s eyebrows closed upon each other: "Yes, I imagine so ?but I don’t see to what other conclusions I could have come. There just isn’t any Second Foundation, sir."

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Arid the Mule considered and then slowly shook his head, as he had done many a time before: "There’s the evidence of Ebling Mis. There is always the evidence of Ebling Mis."

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It was not a new story. Pritcher said without qualification: "Mis may have been the greatest psychologist of the Foundation, but he was a baby compared to Hari Seldon. At the time he was investigating Seldon’s works, he was under the artificial stimulation of your own brain control. You may have pushed him too far. He might have been wrong. Sir, he must have been wrong."

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The Mule sighed, his lugubrious face thrust forward on its thin stalk of a neck. "If only he had lived another minute. He was on the point of telling me where the Second Foundation was. He knew, I’m telling you. I need not have retreated. I need not have waited and waited. So much time lost. Five years gone for nothing."

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Pritcher could not have been censorious over the weak longing of his ruler; his controlled mental make-up forbade that. He was disturbed instead; vaguely uneasy. He said: "But what alternative explanation can there possibly be, sir? Five times I’ve gone out. You yourself have plotted the routes. And I’ve left no asteroid unturned. It was three hundred years ago that Hari Seldon of the old Empire supposedly established two Foundations to act as nuclei of a new Empire to replace the dying old one. One hundred years after Seldon, the First Foundation ?the one we know so well ?was known through all the Periphery . One hundred fifty years after Seldon ?at the time of the last battle with the old Empire ?it was known throughout the Galaxy. And now it’s three hundred years ?and where should this mysterious Second be? In no eddy of the Galactic stream has it been heard of."

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"Ebling Mis said it kept itself secret. Only secrecy can turn its weakness to strength."

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"Secrecy as deep as this is past possibility without nonexistence as well."

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The Mule looked up, large eyes sharp and wary . "No. It does exist." A bony finger pointed sharply. "There is going to be a slight change in tactics."

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Pritcher frowned. "You plan to leave yourself? I would scarcely advise it."

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"No, of course not. You will have to go out once again ?one last time. But with another in joint command."

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There was a silence, and Pritcher’s voice was hard, "Who, Sir?"

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"There’s a young man here in Kalgan. Bail Channis."

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"I’ve never heard of him, Sir."

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"No, I imagine not. But he’s got an agile mind, he’s ambitious ?and he’s not Converted."

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Pritcher’s long jaw trembled for a bare instant, "I fail to see the advantage in that."

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"There is one, Pritcher. You’re a resourceful and experienced man. You have given me good service. But you are Converted. Your motivation is simply an enforced and helpless loyalty to myself. When you lost your native motivations, you lost something, some subtle drive, that I cannot possibly replace."

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"I don’t feel that, Sir," said Pritcher grimly. "I recall myself quite well as I was in the days when I was an enemy of yours. I feel none the inferior."

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"Naturally not," and the Mule抯 mouth twitched into a smile. "Your judgment in this matter is scarcely objective. This Channis, now, is ambitious ?for himself. He is completely trustworthy ?out of no loyalty but to himself. He knows that it is on my coattails that he rides and he would do anything to increase my power that the ride might be long and far and that the destination might be glorious. If he goes with you, there is just that added push behind his seeking ?that push for himself.’

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"Then," said Pritcher. still insistent , "why not remove my own Conversion, if you think that will improve me. I can scarcely be mistrusted, now."

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"That never, Pritcher. While you are within arm’s reach, or blaster reach, of myself, you will remain firmly held in Conversion. If I were to release you this minute, I would be dead the next."

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The general’s nostrils flared

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. "I am hurt that you should think so."

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"I don’t mean to hurt you, but it is impossible for you to realize what your feelings would be if free to form themselves along the lines of your natural motivation. The human mind resents control. The ordinary human hypnotist cannot hypnotize a person against his will for that reason. I can, because I’m not a hypnotist, and, believe me, Pritcher, the resentment that you cannot show and do not even know you possess is something I wouldn’t want to face."

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Pritcher’s head bowed. Futility wrenched him and left him gray and haggard inside. He said with an effort, "But how can you trust this man. I mean, completely ?as you can trust me in my Conversion."

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"Well, I suppose I can’t entirely. That is why you must go with him. You see, Pritcher," and the Mule buried himself in the large armchair against the soft back of which he looked like an angularly animated toothpick, "if he should stumble on the Second Foundation ?if it should occur to him that an arrangement with them might be more profitable than with me ?You understand?"

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A profoundly satisfied light blazed in Pritcher’s eyes. "That is better, Sir."

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"Exactly. But remember, he must have a free rein as far as possible."

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"Certainly."

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"And ... uh ... Pritcher. The young man is handsome, pleasant and extremely charming. Don’t let him fool you. He’s a dangerous and unscrupulous character. Don’t get in his way unless you’re prepared to meet him properly. That’s all."

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The Mule was alone again. He let the lights die and the wall before him kicked to transparency again. The sky was purple now, and the city was a smudge of light on the horizon.

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What was it all for? And if he were the master of all there was ?what then? Would it really stop men like Pritcher. from being straight and tall, self-confident, strong? Would Bail Channis lose his looks? Would he himself be other than he was?

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He cursed his doubts. What was he really after?

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The cool, overhead warning light flickered. He could follow the progress of the man who had entered the palace and, almost against his will, he felt the soft wash of emotional content touch the fibers of his brain.

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He recognized the identity without an effort. It was Channis. Here the Mule saw no uniformity, but the primitive diversity of a strong mind, untouched and unmolded except by the manifold disorganizations of the Universe. It writhed in floods and waves. There was caution on the surface, a thin, smoothing effect, but with touches of cynical ribaldry in the hidden eddies of it. And underneath there was the strong flow of self-interest and self-love, with a gush of cruel humor here and there, and a deep, still pool of ambition underlying all.

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The Mule felt that he could reach out and dam the current, wrench the pool from its basin and turn it in another course, dry up one flow and begin another. But what of it? If he could bend Channis?curly head in the profoundest adoration , would that change his own grotesquerie that made him shun the day and love the night, that made him a recluse inside an empire that was unconditionally big?

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The door behind him opened, and he turned. The transparency of the wall faded to opacity, and the darkness gave way to the whitely blazing artifice of atomic power.

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Bail Channis sat down lightly and said: "This is a not-quite-unexpected honor, sir."

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The Mule rubbed his proboscis with all four fingers at once and sounded a bit irritable in his response. "Why so, young man?"

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"A

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hunch , I suppose. Unless I want to admit that I’ve been listening to rumors."

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"Rumors? Which one of the several dozen varieties are you referring to?"

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"Those that say a renewal of the Galactic Offensive is being planned. It is a hope with me that such is true and that I might play an appropriate part."

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"Then you think there is a Second Foundation?"

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"Why not? It would make things so much more interesting."

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"And you find interest in it as well?"

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"Certainly. In the very mystery of it! What better subject could you find for conjecture

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? The newspaper supplements are full of nothing else lately ?which is probably significant. The Cosmos had one of its feature writers compose a weirdie about a world consisting of beings of pure mind ?the Second Foundation, you see ?who had developed mental force to energies large enough to compete with any known to physical science. Spaceships could be blasted light-years away, planets could be turned out of their orbits--"

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"Interesting. Yes. But do you have any notions on the subject? Do you subscribe to this mind-power notion?’

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"Galaxy, no! Do you think creatures like that would stay on their own planet? No, sir. I think the Second Foundation remains hidden because it is weaker than we think."

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"In that case, I can explain myself very easily. How would you like to head an expedition to locate the Second Foundation?"

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For a moment Channis seemed caught up by the sudden rush of events at just a little greater speed than he was prepared for. His tongue had apparently skidded to a halt in a lengthening silence.

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The Mule said dryly: "Well?"

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Channis corrugated his forehead. "Certainly. But where am I to go? Have you any information available?"

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"General Pritcher will be with you?

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"Then I’m not to head it?"

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"Judge for yourself when I’m done. Listen, you’re not of the Foundation. You’re a native of Kalgan, aren’t you? Yes. Well, then, your knowledge of the Seldon plan may be vague. When the first Galactic Empire was falling, Hari Seldon and a group of psychohistorians, analyzing the future course of history by mathematical tools no longer available in these degenerate times, set up two Foundations, one at each end of the Galaxy, in such a way that the economic and sociological forces that were slowly evolving, would make them serve as foci for the Second Empire. Hari Seldon planned on a thousand years to accomplish that ?and it would have taken thirty thousand without the Foundations. But he couldn’t count on me. I am a mutant and I am unpredictable by psychohistory which can only deal with the average reactions of numbers. Do you understand?"

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Perfectly , sir. But how does that involve me?’

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"You’ll understand shortly. I intend to unite the Galaxy now ?and reach Seldon’s thousand-year goal in three hundred. One Foundation ?the world of physical scientists ?is still flourishing, under me. Under the prosperity and order of the union, the atomic weapons they have developed are capable of dealing with anything in the Galaxy ?except perhaps the Second Foundation. So I must know more about it. General Pritcher is of the definite opinion that it does not exist at all. I know otherwise."

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Channis said delicately: "How do you know, sir?"

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And the Mule’s words were suddenly liquid indignation: "Because minds under my control have been interfered with. Delicately! Subtly! But not so subtly that I couldn’t notice. And these interferences are increasing, and hitting valuable men at important times. Do you wonder now that a certain discretion has kept me motionless these years?

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"That is your importance. General Pritcher is the best man left me, so he is no longer safe. Of course, he does not know that. But you are Unconverted and therefore not instantly detectable as a Mule’s man. You may fool the Second Foundation longer than one of my own men would ?perhaps just sufficiently longer. Do you understand?"

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"Um-mmm. Yes. But pardon me, sir, if I question you. How are these men of yours disturbed, so that I might detect change in General Pritcher, in case any occurs. Are they Unconverted again? Do they become disloyal?"

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"No. I told you it was subtle. It’s more disturbing than that, because its harder to detect and sometimes I have to wait before acting , uncertain whether a key man is being normally erratic or has been tampered with. Their loyalty is left intact, but initiative and ingenuity are rubbed out. I’m left with a perfectly normal person, apparently, but one completely useless. In the last year, six have been so treated. Six of my best." A corner of his mouth lifted. "They’re in charge of training bases now ?and my most earnest wishes go with them that no emergencies come up for them to decide upon."

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"Suppose, sir ... suppose it were not the Second Foundation. What if it were another, such as yourself ?another mutant?"

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"The planning is too careful, too long range. A single man would be in a greater hurry. No, it is a world, and you are to be my weapon against it."

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Channis’ eyes shone as he said: "I’m delighted at the chance."

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But the Mule caught the sudden emotional upwelling. He said: "Yes, apparently it occurs to you, that you will perform a unique service, worthy of a unique reward ?perhaps even that of being my successor. Quite so. But there are unique punishments, too, you know. My emotional gymnastics are not confined to the creation of loyalty alone."

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And the little smile on his thin lips was grim, as Channis leaped out of his seat in horror.

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For just an instant, just one, flashing instant, Channis had felt the pang of an overwhelming grief close over him. It had slammed down with a physical pain that had blackened his mind unbearably , and then lifted. Now nothing was left but the strong wash of anger.

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The Mule said: "Anger won’t help ... yes, you’re covering it up now, aren’t you? But I can see it. So just remember ?that sort of business can be made more intense and kept up. I’ve killed men by emotional control, and there’s no death crueler."

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He paused: "That’s all!"

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The Mule was alone again. He let the lights die and the wall before him kicked to transparency again. The sky was black, and the rising body of the Galactic Lens was spreading its bespanglement across the velvet depths of space.

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All that haze of nebula was a mass of stars so numerous that they melted one into the other and left nothing but a cloud of light.

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And all to be his?

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And now but one last arrangement to make, and he could sleep.

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FIRST INTERLUDE The Executive Council of the Second Foundation was in session. To us they are merely voices. Neither the exact scene of the meeting nor the identity of those present are essential at the point.

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Nor, strictly speaking, can we even consider an exact reproduction of any part of the session ?unless we wish to sacrifice completely even the minimum comprehensibility we have a right to expect.

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We deal here with psychologists ?and not merely psychologists. Let us say, rather, scientists with a psychological orientation

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. That is, men whose fundamental conception of scientific philosophy is pointed in an entirely different direction from all of the orientations we know. The "

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psychology

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" of scientists brought up among the axioms deduced from the observational habits of physical science has only the vaguest relationship to PSYCHOLOGY.

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Which is about as far as I can go in explaining color to a blind man ?with myself as blind as the audience.

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The point being made is that the minds assembled understood thoroughly the workings of each other, not only by general theory but by the specific application over a long period of these theories to particular individuals. Speech as known to us was unnecessary. A fragment of a sentence amounted almost to long-winded redundancy. A gesture, a

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grunt , the curve of a facial line ?even a significantly timed pause yielded informational juice.

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The liberty is taken, therefore, of freely translating a small portion of the conference into the extremely specific word-combinations necessary to minds oriented from childhood to a physical science philosophy, even at the risk of losing the more delicate nuances.

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There was one "voice" predominant, and that belonged to the individual known simply as the First Speaker.

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He said: "It is apparently quite definite now as to what stopped the Mule in his first mad rush. I can’t say that the matter reflects credit upon ... well, upon the organization of the situation. Apparently, he almost located us, by means of the artificially heightened brain-energy of what they call a ’psychologist’ on the First Foundation. This psychologist was killed just before he could communicate his discovery to the Mule. The events leading to that killing were completely fortuitous for all calculations below Phase Three. Suppose you take over."

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It was the Fifth Speaker who was indicated by an inflection of the voice. He said, in grim nuances: "It is certain that the situation was mishandled. We are, of course, highly vulnerable under mass attack, particularly an attack led by such a mental phenomenon as the Mule. Shortly after he first achieved Galactic eminence with the conquest of the First Foundation, half a year after to be exact, he was on Trantor. Within another half year he would have been here and the odds would have been stupendously against us ?96.3 plus or minus 0.05% to be exact. We have spent considerable time analyzing the forces that stopped him. We know, of course, what was driving him on so in the first place. The internal ramifications of his physical deformity and mental uniqueness are obvious to all of us. However, it was only through penetration to Phase Three that we could determine ?after the fact ?tbe possibility of his anomalous action in the presence of another human being who had an honest affection for him.

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"And since such an anomalous action would depend upon the presence of such another human being at the appropriate time, to that extent the whole affair was fortuitous. Our agents are certain that it was a girl that killed the Mule’s psychologist ?a girl for whom the Mule felt trust out of sentiment, and whom he, therefore, did not control mentally ?simply because she liked him.

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"Since that event ?and for those who want the details, a mathematical treatment of the subject has been drawn up for the Central Library ?which warned us, we have held the Mule off by unorthodox methods with which we daily risk SeIdon’s entire scheme of history. That is all."

140

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The First Speaker paused an instant to allow the individuals assembled to absorb the full implications. He said: "The situation is then highly unstable

141

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. With Seldon’s original scheme bent to the fracture point ?and I must emphasize that we have blundered badly in this whole matter, in our horrible lack of foresight

142

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?we are faced with an irreversible breakdown of the Plan. Time is passing us by. I think there is only one solution left us ?and even that is risky

143

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"We must allow the Mule to find us ?in a sense."

144

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Another pause, in which he gathered the reactions, then: "I repeat ?in a sense!"

145

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