Forward the Foundation - Isaac Asimov [2]
"If ever," said Seldon. "But tell me, where does this danger to Demerzel arise? What is it that is likely to harm him or overthrow him? Are we talking about Demerzel's overthrow?"
"Yes," said Amaryl and a grim look settled on his face.
"Then tell me. Have pity on my ignorance."
Amaryl flushed. "You're being condescending, Hari. Surely you've heard of Jo-Jo Joranum."
"Certainly. He's a demagogue- Wait, where's he from? Nishaya, right? A very unimportant world. Goat herding, I think. High-quality cheeses."
"That's it. Not just a demagogue, however. He commands a strong following and it's getting stronger. He aims, he says, for social justice and greater political involvement by the people."
"Yes," said Seldon. "I've heard that much. His slogan is: `Government belongs to the people.'"
"Not quite, Hari. He says: `Government is the people.'"
Seldon nodded. "Well, you know, I rather sympathize with the thought."
"So do I. I'm all for it-if Joranum meant it. But he doesn't, except as a stepping-stone. It's a path, not a goal. He wants to get rid of Demerzel. After that it will be easy to manipulate Cleon. Then Joranum will take the throne himself and he will be the people. You've told me yourself that there have been a number of episodes of this sort in Imperial history-and these days the Empire is weaker and less stable than it used to be. A blow which, in earlier centuries, merely staggered it might now shatter it. The Empire will welter in civil war and never recover and we won't have psychohistory in place to teach us what must be done."
"Yes, I see your point, but surely it's not going to be that easy to get rid of Demerzel."
"You don't know how strong Joranum is growing."
"It doesn't matter how strong he's growing." A shadow of thought seemed to pass over Seldon's brow. "I wonder that his parents came to name him Jo-Jo. There's something juvenile about that name."
"His parents had nothing to do with it. His real name is Laskin, a very common name on Nishaya. He chose Jo-Jo himself, presumably from the first syllable of his last name."
"The more fool he, wouldn't you say?"
"No, I wouldn't. His followers shout it Jo . . . Jo . . . Jo . . . Jo'-over and over. It's hypnotic."
"Well," said Seldon, making a move to return to his tricomputer and adjust the multidimensional simulation it had created, "we'll see what happens."
"Can you be that casual about it? I'm telling you the danger is imminent."
"No, it isn't," said Seldon, eyes steely, his voice suddenly hardening. "You don't have all the facts."
"What facts don't I have?"
"We'll discuss that another time, Yugo. For now, continue with your work and let me worry about Demerzel and the state of the Empire."
Amaryl's lips tightened, but the habit of obedience to Seldon was strong. "Yes, Hari."
But not overwhelmingly strong. He turned at the door and said, "You're making a mistake, Hari."
Seldon smiled slightly. "I don't think so, but I have heard your warning and I will not forget. Still, all will be well."
And as Amaryl left, Seldon's smile faded. -Would, indeed, all be well?
2
But Seldon, while he did not forget Amaryl's warning, did not think of it with any great degree of concentration. His fortieth birthday came and went-with the usual psychological blow.
Forty! He was not young any longer. Life no longer stretched before him as a vast uncharted field, its horizon lost in the distance. He had been on Trantor for eight years and the time had passed quickly. Another eight years and he would be nearly fifty. Old age would be looming.
And he had not even made a decent beginning in psychohistory? Yugo Amaryl spoke brightly of laws and worked out his equations by making daring assumptions based on intuition. But how could one possibly test those assumptions? Psychohistory was not yet an experimental science. The complete study of psychohistory would require experiments that would involve worlds of people, centuries