Prelude to Foundation - Isaac Asimov [69]
He wore a long white gown with voluminous sleeves, pinched in at the wrists. Beneath the gown were soft sandals from which the big toe protruded, while his head, beautifully shaped, was completely hairless. He regarded the two calmly with his deep blue eyes.
He said, "I greet you, tribesman."
Seldon said with automatic politeness, "Greetings, sir." Then, honestly puzzled, he asked, "How did you get in?"
"Through the entrance, which closed behind me. You paid little heed."
"I suppose we didn't. But then we didn't know what to expect. Nor do we now."
"Tribesman Chetter Hummin informed the Brethren that there would be members from two of the tribes arriving. He asked that you be cared for."
"Then you know Hummin."
"We do. He has been of service to us. And because he, a worthy tribesman, has been of service to us, so must we be now to him. There are few who come to Mycogen and few who leave. I am to make you secure, give you houseroom, see that you are undisturbed. You will be safe here."
Dors bent her head. "We are grateful, Sunmaster Fourteen."
Sunmaster turned to look at her with an sir of dispassionate contempt. "I am not unaware of the customs of the tribes," he said. "I know that among them a woman may well speak before being spoken to. I am therefore not offended. I would ask her to have a care among others of the Brethren who may be of lesser knowledge in the matter."
"Oh really?" said Dors, who was clearly offended, even if Sunmaster was not.
"In truth," agreed Sunmaster. "Nor is it needful to use my numerical identifier when I alone of my cohort am with you. 'Sunmaster' will be sufficient. -Now I will ask you to come with me so that we may leave this place which is of too tribal a nature to comfort me."
"Comfort is for all of us," said Seldon, perhaps a little more loudly than was necessary, "and we will not budge from this place unless we are assured that we will not be forcibly bent to your liking against our own natures. It is our custom that a woman may speak whenever she has something to say. If you have agreed to keep us secure, that security must be psychological as well as physical."
Sumnaster gazed at Seldon levelly and said, "You are bold, young tribesman. Your name?"
"I am Hari Seldon of Helicon. My companion is Dors Venabili of Cinna."
Sunmaster bowed slightly as Seldon pronounced his own name, did not move at the mention of Dors's name. He said, "I have sworn to Tribesman Hummin that we will keep you safe, so I will do what I can to protect your woman companion in this. If she wishes to exercise her impudence, I will do my best to see that she is held guiltless. -Yet in one respect you must conform."
And he pointed, with infinite scorn, first to Seldon's head and then to Dors's.
"What do you mean?" said Seldon.
"Your cephalic hair."
"What about it?"
"It must not be seen."
"Do you mean we're to shave our heads like you? Certainly not."
"My head is not shaven, Tribesman Seldon. I was depilated when I entered puberty, as are all the Brethren and their women."
"If we're talking about depilation, then more than ever the answer is no-never."
"Tribesman, we ask neither shaving nor depilation. We ask only that your hair be covered when you are among us."
'How?"
"I have brought skincaps that will mold themselves to your skulls, together with strips that will hide the superoptical patches the eyebrows. You will wear them while with us. And of course, Tribesman Seldon, you will shave daily-or oftener if that becomes necessary."
"But why must we do this?"
"Because to us, hair on the head is repulsive and obscene."
"Surely, you and all your people know that it is customary for others, in all the worlds of the G=alaxy, to retain their cephalic hair."
"We know. And those among us, like myself, who must deal with tribesmen now and then, must witness