Read Foundation and Earth for Free Online

There is bound to be a certain symmetry. —In any case, I want a better reason for my decision to make Gaia the model for the future of humanity than that it is a planetary version of a comfortable house.”
    “Oh, my dear fellow. I wasn’t trying to argue you into being satisfied with your decision. I was just making an observa—”
    He broke off. Bliss was striding toward them, her dark hair wet and her robe clinging to her body and emphasizing the rather generous width of her hips. She was nodding to them as she came.
    “I’m sorry I delayed you,” she said, panting a little. “It took longer to check with Dom than I had anticipated.”
    “Surely,” said Trevize, “you know everything he knows.”
    “Sometimes it’s a matter of a difference in interpretation. We are not identical, after all, so we discuss. Look here,” she said, with a touch of asperity, “you have two hands. They are each part of you, and they seem identical except for one being the mirror-image of the other. Yet you do not use them entirely alike, do you? There are some things you do with your righthand most of the time, and some with your left. Differences in interpretation, so to speak.”
    “She’s got you,” said Pelorat, with obvious satisfaction.
    Trevize nodded. “It’s an effective analogy, if it were relevant, and I’m not at all sure it is. In any case, does this mean we can board the ship now? It
is
raining.”
    “Yes, yes. Our people are all off it, and it’s in perfect shape.” Then, with a sudden curious look at Trevize, “You’re keeping dry. The raindrops are missing you.”
    “Yes, indeed,” said Trevize. “I am avoiding wetness.”
    “But doesn’t it feel good to be wet now and then?”
    “Absolutely. But at my choice, not the rain’s.”
    Bliss shrugged. “Well, as you please. All our baggage is loaded so let’s board.”
    The three walked toward the
Far Star
. The rain was growing still lighter, but the grass was quite wet. Trevize found himself walking gingerly, but Bliss had kicked off her slippers, which she was now carrying in one hand, and was slogging through the grass barefoot.
    “It feels delightful,” she said, in response to Trevize’s downward glance.
    “Good,” he said absently. Then, with a touch of irritation, “Why are those other Gaians standing about, anyway?”
    Bliss said, “They’re recording this event, which Gaia finds momentous. You are important to us, Trevize. Consider that if you should change your mind as a result of this trip and decide against us, we would never grow into Galaxia, or even remain as Gaia.”
    “Then I represent life and death for Gaia; for the whole world.”
    “We believe so.”
    Trevize stopped suddenly, and took off his rain hat. Blue patches were appearing in the sky. He said, “But you have my vote in your favor
now
. If you kill me, I’ll never be able to change it.”
    “Golan,” murmured Pelorat, shocked. “That is a terrible thing to say.”
    “Typical of an Isolate,” said Bliss calmly. “You must understand, Trevize, that we are not interested in you as a person, or even in your vote, but in the truth, in the facts of the matter. You are only important as a conduit to the truth, and your vote as an indication of the truth. That is what we want from you, and if we kill you to avoid a change in your vote, we would merely be hiding the truth from ourselves.”
    “If I tell you the truth is non-Gaia, will you all then cheerfully agree to die?”
    “Not entirely cheerfully, perhaps, but it’s what it would amount to in the end.”
    Trevize shook his head. “If anything ought to convince me that Gaia is a horror and
should
die, it might be that very statement you’ve just made.” Then he said, his eyes returning to the patiently watching (and, presumably, listening) Gaians, “Why are they spread out like that? And why do you need so many? If one of them observes this event and stores it in his or her memory, isn’t it