"I find it very gratifying to be able to inform the Board that since our last meeting, I have received word that Lord Dorwin, Chancellor of the Empire, will arrive at Terminus in two weeks.
It may be taken for granted that our relations with Anacreon will be smoothed out to our complete satisfaction as soon as the Emperor is informed of the situation. "
He smiled and addressed Hardin across the length of the table.
"Information to this effect has been given the Journal."
Hardin snickered below his breath.
It seemed evident that Pirenne's desire to strut this information before him had been one reason for his admission into the sacrosanctum.
He said evenly:
"Leaving vague expressions out of account, what do you expect Lord Dorwin to do?"
Tomaz Sutt replied.
He had a bad habit of addressing one in the third person when in his more stately moods.
"It is quite evident," he observed, "that Mayor Hardin is a professional cynic.
He can scarcely fail to realize that the Emperor would be most unlikely to allow his personal rights to be infringed."
"Why?
What would he do in case they were?"
There was an annoyed stir.
Pirenne said, "You are out of order," and, as an afterthought, "and are making what are near-treasonable statements, besides."
"Am I to consider myself answered?"
"Yes! If you have nothing further to say-"
"Don't jump to conclusions.
I'd like to ask a question.
Besides this stroke of diplomacy - which may or may not prove to mean anything - has anything concrete been done to meet the Anacreonic menace?"
Yate Fulham drew one hand along his ferocious red mustache.
"You see a menace there, do you?"
"Don't you?"
"Scarcely"- this with indulgence. "The Emperor-"
"Great space!" Hardin felt annoyed.
"What is this?
Every once in a while someone mentions
'Emperor' or
'Empire' as if it were a magic word.
The Emperor is thousands of parsecs away, and I doubt whether he gives a damn about us.
And if he does, what can he do?
What there was of the imperial navy in these regions is in the hands of the four kingdoms now and Anacreon has its share.
Listen, we have to fight with guns, not with words.
"Now, get this. We've had two months' grace so far, mainly because we've given Anacreon the idea that we've got nuclear weapons.
Well, we all know that that's a little white lie.
We've got nuclear power, but only for commercial uses, and darn little at that.
They're going to find that out soon, and if you think they're going to enjoy being jollied along, you're mistaken."
"My dear sir-"
"Hold on: I'm not finished."
Hardin was warming up.
He liked this.
"It's all very well to drag chancellors into this, but it would be much nicer to drag a few great big siege guns fitted for beautiful nuclear bombs into it.
We've lost two months, gentlemen, and we may not have another two months to lose.
What do you propose to do?"
Said Lundin Crast, his long nose wrinkling angrily:
"If you're proposing the militarization of the Foundation, I won't hear a word of it.
It would mark our open entrance into the field of politics.
We, Mr. Mayor, are a scientific foundation and nothing else."
Added Sutt: "He does not realize, moreover, that building armaments would mean withdrawing men - valuable men - from the Encyclopedia. That cannot be done, come what may."