It was an interesting experience, though.
It is remarkable, Hardin, how the religion of science has grabbed hold.
I've written an essay on the subject - entirely for my own amusement; it wouldn't do to have it published.
Treating the problem sociologically, it would seem that when the old Empire began to rot at the fringes, it could be considered that science, as science, had failed the outer worlds. To be reaccepted it would have to present itself in another guise and it has done just that. It works out beautifully."
"Interesting!"
The mayor placed his arms around his neck and said suddenly,
"Start talking about the situation at Anacreon!"
The ambassador frowned and withdrew the cigar from his mouth. He looked at it distastefully and put it down.
"Well, it's pretty bad."
"You wouldn't be here, otherwise."
"Scarcely.
Here's the position. The key man at Anacreon is the Prince Regent, Wienis.
He's King Lepold's uncle."
"I know. But Lepold is coming of age next year, isn't he?
I believe he'll be sixteen in February."
"Yes."
Pause, and then a wry addition.
"If he lives.
The king's father died under suspicious circumstances.
A needle bullet through the chest during a hunt.
It was called an accident."
"Hmph. I seem to remember Wienis the time I was on Anacreon, when we kicked them off Terminus.
It was before your time. Let's see now.
If I remember, he was a dark young fellow, black hair and a squint in his right eye.
He had a funny hook in his nose."
"Same fellow. The hook and the squint are still there, but his hair's gray now.
He plays the game dirty.
Luckily, he's the most egregious fool on the planet. Fancies himself as a shrewd devil, too, which mades his folly the more transparent."
"That's usually the way."
"His notion of cracking an egg is to shoot a nuclear blast at it.
Witness the tax on Temple property he tried to impose just after the old king died two years ago.
Remember?"
Hardin nodded thoughtfully, then smiled.
"The priests raised a howl."
"They raised one you could hear way out to Lucreza.
He's shown more caution in dealing with the priesthood since, but he still manages to do things the hard way. In a way, it's unfortunate for us; he has unlimited self-confidence."
"Probably an over-compensated inferiority complex.
Younger sons of royalty get that way, you know."
"But it amounts to the same thing.
He's foaming at the mouth with eagerness to attack the Foundation.
He scarcely troubles to conceal it.
And he's in a position to do it, too, from the standpoint of armament.
The old king built up a magnificent navy, and Wienis hasn't been sleeping the last two years.
In fact, the tax on Temple property was originally intended for further armament, and when that fell through he increased the income tax twice."
"Any grumbling at that?"
"None of serious importance.
Obedience to appointed authority was the text of every sermon in the kingdom for weeks.
Not that Wienis showed any gratitude."
"All right. I've got the background.
Now what's happened?"