Prelude to Foundation - Isaac Asimov [92]
"Did they give a name to their own world, this world that seems to preoccupy them entirely?" asked Dors. "If they don't call it Earth, what do they call it?"
"As you'd expect, they call it 'the world' or 'the planet.' Sometimes they call it 'the Oldest' or'the World of the Dawn,' which has a poetic significance, I presume, that isn't clear to me. I suppose one ought to read the Book entirely through and some matters will then grow to make more sense." He looked down at the Book in his hand with some distaste. "It would take a very long time, though, and I'm not sure that I'd end up any the wiser."
Dors sighed. "I'm sorry, Hari. You sound so disappointed."
"That's because I am disappointed. It's my fault, though. I should not have allowed myself to expect too much. -At one point, come to think of it, they referred to their world as 'Aurora.' "
"Aurora?" said Dors, lifting her eyebrows.
"It sounds like a proper name. It doesn't make any sense otherwise, as far as I can see. Does it mean anything to you, Dors?"
"Aurora." Dors thought about it with a slight frown on her fare. "I can't say I've ever heard of a planet with that name in the course of the history of the Galactic Empire or during the period of its growth, for that matter, but I won't pretend to know the name of every one of the twentyfive million worlds. We could look it up in the University library-if we ever get back to Streeling. There's no use trying to find a library here in Mycogen. Somehow I have a feeling that all their knowledge is in the Book. If anything isn't there, they aren't interested."
Seldon yawned and said, "I think you're right. In any case, there's no use reading any more and I doubt that I can keep my eyes open any longer. Is it all right if I put out the light?"
"I would welcome it, Hari. And let's sleep a little later in the morning."
Then, in the dark, Seldon said softly, "Of course, some of what they say is ridiculous. For instance, they refer to a life expectancy on their world of between three and four centuries."
"Centuries?"
"Yes, they count their ages by decades rather than by years. It gives you a queer feeling, because so much of what they say is perfectly matter-of-fact that when they come out with something that odd, you almost find yourself trapped into believing it."
"If you feel yourself beginning to believe that, then you should realize that many legends of primitive origins assume extended life spans for early leaders. If they're pictured as unbelievably heroic, you see, it seems natural that they have life spans to suit."
"Is that so?" said Seldon, yawning again.
"It is. And the cure for advanced gullibility is to go to sleep and consider matters again the next day."
And Seldon, pausing only long enough to think that an extended life span might well be a simple necessity for anyone trying to understand a Galaxy of people, slept.
49.
The next morning, feeling relaxed and refreshed and eager to begin his study of the Book again, Hari asked Dors, "How old would you say the Raindrop sisters are?"
"I don't know. Twenty . . . twenty-two?"
"Well, suppose they do live three or four centuries
"Hari. That's ridiculous."
"I'm saying suppose. In mathematics, we say 'suppose' all the time and see if we can end up with something patently untrue or selfcontradictory. An extended life span would almost surely mean an extended period of development. They might seem in their early twenties and actually be in their sixties."
"You can try asking them how old they are."
"We can assume they'd lie."
"Look up their birth certificates."
Seldon smiled wryly. "I'll bet you anything you like-a roll in the hay, if you're willing-that they'll claim they don't keep records or that, if