"I think so!" Hardin jumped up and pushed his chair away. His eyes werecold and hard. "If there's one thing that's definite, it is that there'ssomething smelly about the whole situation; something that is bigger thananything we've talked about yet. Just ask yourself this question: Why wasit that among the original population of the Foundation not one first-classpsychologist was included, except Bor Alurin? And he carefully refrainedfrom training his pupils in more than the fundamentals."A short silence and Fara said: "All right. Why?""Perhaps because a psychologist might have caught on to what this was allabout ? and too soon to suit Hari Seldon. As it is, we've been stumblingabout, getting misty glimpses of the truth and no more. And that is whatHari Seldon wanted."He laughed harshly. "Good day, gentlemen!"He stalked out of the room.Mayor Hardin chewed at the end of his cigar. It had gone out but he waspast noticing that. He hadn't slept the night before and he had a good ideathat he wouldn't sleep this coming night. His eyes showed it .
He said wearily, "And that covers it?""I think so." Yohan Lee put a hand to his chin. "How does it sound?""Not too bad. It's got to be done, you understand, with impudence. That is,there is to be no hesitation; no time to allow them to grasp the situation.
Once we are in a position to give orders, why, give them as though you wereborn to do so, and they'll obey out of habit. That's the essence of acoup.""If the Board remains irresolute for even ?
"The Board? Count them out. After tomorrow, their importance as a factor inTerminus affairs won't matter a rusty half-credit."Lee nodded slowly. "Yet it is strange that they've done nothing to stop usso far. You say they weren't entirely in the dark.""Fara stumbles at the edges of the problem. Sometimes he makes me nervous .
And Pirenne's been suspicious of me since I was elected. But, you see, theynever had the capacity of really understanding what was up. Their wholetraining has been authoritarian. They are sure that the Emperor, justbecause he is the Emperor, is all-powerful. And they are sure that theBoard of Trustees, simply because it is the Board of Trustees acting in thename of the Emperor, cannot be in a position where it does not give theorders. That incapacity to recognize the possibility of revolt is our bestally."He heaved out of his chair and went to the water cooler. "They're not badfellows, Lee, when they stick to their Encyclopedia ?and we'll see thatthat's where they stick in the future. They're hopelessly incompetent whenit comes to ruling Terminus. Go away now and start things rolling. I wantto be alone."He sat down on the comer of his desk and stared at the cup of water.
Space! If only he were as confident as he pretended! The days and what had he to go on but a set of notions andhalf-guesses as to what Had Seldon had been driving at these past fiftyyears? He wasn't even a real, honest-to-goodness psychologist ? just afumbler with a little training trying to outguess the greatest mind of theage.
If Fara were fight; if Anacreon were all the problem Hari Seldon hadforeseen; if the Encyclopedia were all he was interested in preserving ?Mayor Hardin chewed at the end of his cigar. It had gone out but he waspast noticing that. He hadn't slept the night before and he had a good ideathat he wouldn't sleep this coming night. His eyes showed it.
He said wearily, "And that covers it?""I think so." Yohan Lee put a hand to his chin. "How does it sound?""Not too bad. It's got to be done, you understand, with impudence. That is,there is to be no hesitation; no time to allow them to grasp the situation.