it was over breakfast the next morning, not sooner, that dors took up the subject--and in a way that seldon found most wounding. she said, "well, that was a pretty fiasco yesterday."

seldon, who had honestly thought he had gotten away with it without comment, looked sullen. "what made it a fiasco?"

"driven out is what we were. and for what? what did we gain?"

"only the knowledge that there is a robot in there."

"mycelium seventy-two said there wasnt."

"of course he said that. hes a scholar--or thinks he is--and what he doesnt know about the sacratorium would probably fill that library he goes to. you saw the elders reaction."

"i certainly did."

"he would not have reacted like that if there was no robot inside. he was horrified we knew."

"thats just your guess, hari. and even if there was, we couldnt get in."

"we could certainly try. after breakfast, we go out and buy a sash for me, one of those obiahs. i put it on, keep my eyes devoutly downward, and walk right in."

"skincap and all? theyll spot you in a microsecond."

"no, they wont. well go into the library where all the tribespeople data is kept. id like to see it anyway. from the library, which is a sacratorium annex, i gather, there will probably be an entrance into the sacratorium."

"where you will be picked up at once."

"not at all. you heard what mycelium seventy-two had to say. everyone keeps his eyes down and meditates on their great lost world, aurora. no one looks at anyone else. it would probably be a grievous breach of discipline to do so. then ill find the elders aerie--"

"just like that?"

"at one point, mycelium seventy-two said he would advise me not to try to get up into the elders aerie. up. it must be somewhere in that tower of the sacratorium, the central tower."

dors shook her head. "i dont recall the mans exact words and i dont think you do either. thats a terribly weak foundation to-- wait." she stopped suddenly and frowned.

"well?" said seldon.

"there is an archaic word aerie that means a dwelling place on high. "

"ah! there you are. you see, weve learned some vital things as the result of what you call a fiasco. and if i can find a living robot thats twenty thousand years old and if it can tell me--"

"suppose that such a thing exists, which passes belief, and that you find it, which is not very likely, how long do you think you will be able to talk to it before your presence is discovered?"

"i dont know, but if i can prove it exists and if i can find it, then ill think of some way to talk to it. its too late for me to back out now under any circumstances. hummin should have left me alone when i thought there was no way of achieving psychohistory. now that it seems there may be, i wont let anything stop me--short of being killed."

"the mycogenians may oblige, hari, and you cant run that risk."

"yes, i can. im going to try."

"no, hari. i must look after you and i cant let you."

"you must let me. finding a way to work out psychohistory is more important than my safety. my safety is only important because i may work out psychohistory. prevent me from doing so and your task loses its meaning.--think about it."

hari felt himself infused with a renewed sense of purpose. psychohistory--his nebulous theory that he had, such a short while ago, despaired ever of proving--loomed larger, more real. now he had to believe that it was possible; he could feel it in his gut. the pieces seemed to be falling together and although he couldnt see the whole pattern yet, he was sure the sacratorium would yield another piece to the puzzle.

"then ill go in with you so i can pull you out, you idiot, when the time comes."

"women cant enter."

"what makes me a woman? only this gray kirtle. you cant see my breasts under it. i dont have a womans style hairdo with the skincap on. i have the same washed, unmarked face a man has. the men here dont have stubble. all i need is a white kirtle and a sash and i can enter. any sister could do it if she wasnt held back by a taboo. i am not held back by one."

"youre held back by me. i wont let you. its too dangerous."

"no more dangerous for me than for you."

"but i must take the risk."

"then so must i. why is your imperative greater than mine?"

"because--" seldon paused in thought.

"just tell yourself this," said dors, her voice hard as rock. "i wont let you go there without me. if you try, i will knock you unconscious and tie you up. if you dont like that, then give up any thought of going alone."

seldon hesitated and muttered darkly. he gave up the argument, at least for now.