"Asimov, Isaac - Cleon the Emperor" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asimov Isaac)

Kaspalov stirred. He was clearly debating with himself internally and, finally, he said slowly, УYou tell me, Chief, that you warned Joranum against accusing the old First Minister. You say he didn't listen, but at least you had your say. May I have the same privilege of pointing out what I think is a mistake and have you listen to me as Joranum listened to you, even if you, like he, don't take the advice given you?Ф

УOf course you can speak your piece, Kaspalov. You are here in order that you might do so. What is your point?Ф

УThese new tactics of ours, Chief, are a mistake. They create disruption, and do damage.Ф

УOf course! They are designed to do that.Ф Namarti stirred in his seat, controlling his anger with an effort. УJoranum tried persuasion. It didn't work. We will bring Trantor down by action.Ф

УFor how long? And at what cost?Ф

УFor as long as it takes, and at very little cost, actually. A power stoppage here, a water break there, a sewage backup, an air-conditioning halt. Inconvenience and discomfort; that's all it means.Ф

Kaspalov shook his head. УThese things are cumulative.Ф

УOf course, Kaspalov, and we want public dismay and resentment to be cumulative, too. Listen, Kaspalov. The Empire is decaying. Everyone knows that. Everyone capable of intelligent thought knows that. The technology will fail here and there even if we do nothing. We're just helping it along a little.Ф

УIt's dangerous, Chief. Trantor's infrastructure is incredibly complicated. A careless push may bring it down in ruins. Pull the wrong string and Trantor may topple, like a house of cards.Ф

УIt hasn't so far.Ф

УIt may in the future. And what if the people find out that we are behind it? They would tear us apart. There would be no need to call in the police or the armed forces. Mobs would destroy us.Ф

УHow would they ever learn enough to blame us? The natural target for the people's resentment will be the governmentЧthe Emperor's advisers. They will never look beyond that.Ф

УAnd how do we live with ourselves, knowing what we have done?Ф

This last was asked in a whisper, the old man clearly moved by strong emotion. His eyes looked pleadingly across the table at his leader, the man to whom he had sworn allegiance. He had done so in the belief that Namarti would truly continue to bear the standard of freedom passed on by Laskin Joranum; now, Kaspalov wondered if this was how JoJo would have wanted his dream to come to pass.

Namarti clucked his tongue, much as a reproving parent does when confronting an errant child.

УKaspalov, you can't seriously be turning sentimental on us, can you? Once we are in power, we will pick up the pieces and rebuild. We will gather in the people with all of Joranum's old talk of popular participation in government, with greater representation, and when we are firmly in power we will establish a more efficient and forceful government. We will then have a better Trantor and a stronger Empire. We will set up some sort of discussion system whereby representatives of world regions can talk themselves into a daze, but we will do the governing.Ф

Kaspalov sat there, irresolute.

Namarti smiled joylessly. УYou are not certain? We can't lose. It's been working perfectly, and it will continue working perfectly. The Emperor doesn't know what's going on. He hasn't the faintest notion. And his First Minister is a mathematician. He ruined Joranum, true, but since then he has done nothing.Ф

УHe has something calledЧcalledЧФ

УForget it. Joranum attached a great deal of importance to it, but it was a part of his being Mycogenian, like his robot mania. This mathematician has nothingЧФ

УHistorical psychoanalysis, or something like that. I heard Joranum once sayЧФ

УForget it. Just do your part. You handle the ventilation in the Anemoria sector, don't you? Very well, then. Have it malfunction in a manner of your choosing. It either shuts down so that the humidity rises, or it produces a peculiar odor, or something else. None of this will kill anyone, so don't get yourself into a fever of virtuous guilt. You will simply make people uncomfortable and raise the general level of discomfort and annoyance. Can we depend on you?Ф

УBut what would only be discomfort and annoyance to the young and healthy, may be more than that to infants, the aged, and the sick.Ф

УAre you going to insist that no one at all must be hurt?Ф

Kaspalov mumbled something.