Foundation and Earth - Isaac Asimov [160]
There were advantages to weather control.
Eventually, they were served by a young woman on tiptoeing feet. They were not asked for their choice, but were merely served. There was a small glass of milk, a larger of grape juice, a still larger of water. Each diner received two large poached eggs, with slivers of white cheese on the side. Each also had a large platter of broiled fish and small roasted potatoes, resting on cool, green lettuce leaves.
Bliss looked with dismay at the quantity of food before her and was clearly at a loss where to begin. Fallom had no such trouble. She drank the grape juice thirstily and with clear evidence of approval, then chewed away at the fish and potatoes. She was about to use her fingers for the purpose, but Bliss held up a large spoon with tined ends that could serve as a fork as well, and Fallom accepted it.
Pelorat smiled his satisfaction and cut into the eggs at once.
Trevize, saying, “Now to be reminded what real eggs taste like,” followed suit.
Hiroko, forgetting to eat her own breakfast in her delight at the manner in which the others ate (for even Bliss finally began, with obvious relish), said, at last, “Is it well?”
“It is well,” said Trevize, his voice somewhat muffled. “This island has no shortage of food, apparently. —Or do you serve us more than you should, out of politeness?”
Hiroko listened with intent eyes, and seemed to grasp the meaning, for she said, “No, no, respected sir. Our land is bountiful, our sea even more so. Our ducks give eggs, our goats both cheese and milk. And there are our grains. Above all, our sea is filled with countless varieties of fish in numberless quantity. The whole Empire could eat at our tables and consume not the fish of our sea.”
Trevize smiled discreetly. Clearly, the young Alphan had not the smallest idea of the true size of the Galaxy.
He said, “You call this island New Earth, Hiroko. Where, then, might Old Earth be?”
She looked at him in bewilderment. “Old Earth, say you? I crave pardon, respected sir. I take not thy meaning.”
Trevize said, “Before there was a New Earth, your people must have lived elsewhere. Where was this elsewhere from which they came?”
“I know naught of that, respected sir,” she said, with troubled gravity. “This land has been mine all my life, and my mother’s and grandmother’s before me; and, I doubt not, their grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s before them. Of any other land, I know naught.”
“But,” said Trevize, descending to gentle argumentation, “you speak of this land as New Earth. Why do you call it that?”
“Because, respected sir,” she replied, equally gentle, “that is what it is called by all since the mind of woman goeth not to the contrary.”
“But it is New Earth, and therefore, a later Earth. There must be an Old Earth, a former one, for which it was named. Each morning there is a new day, and that implies that earlier there had existed an old day. Don’t you see that this must be so?”
“Nay, respected sir. I know only what this land is called. I know of naught else, nor do I follow this reasoning of thine which sounds very much like what we call here chop-logic. I mean no offense.”
And Trevize shook his head and felt defeated.
77.
TREVIZE LEANED TOWARD PELORAT, AND WHISPERED, “Wherever we go, whatever we do, we get no information.”
“We know where Earth is, so what does it matter?” said Pelorat, doing little more than move his lips.
“I want to know something about it.”
“She’s very young. Scarcely a repository of information.”
Trevize thought about that, then nodded. “Right, Janov.”
He turned to Hiroko and said, “Miss Hiroko, you haven’t asked us why we are here in your land?”
Hiroko’s eyes fell, and she said, “That would be but scant courtesy until you have all eaten and rested, respected sir.”
“But we have eaten, or almost so, and we have recently rested, so I shall tell you why we are here. My friend, Dr.