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

УThe same possibilitiesЧeconomic and social factors, natural disasters, ambitious rivalries among high officials. And something more. I have described the Empire to Yugo as being overheatedЧand Trantor is the most overheated portion of all. It seems to be breaking down. The infrastructureЧwater supply, heating, waste disposal, fuel lines, everythingЧseems to be having unusual problems, and that's something I've been turning my attention to more and more lately.Ф

УWhat about the death of the Emperor?Ф

Seldon spread his hands. УThat happens inevitably, but Cleon is in good health. He's only my age, which I wish was younger, but isn't too old. His two sons are totally inadequate for the succession but there will be enough claimants. More than enough to cause trouble and make his death distressing, but it might not prove a total catastropheЧin the historic sense.Ф

УLet's say his assassination, then.Ф

Seldon looked up nervously. УDon't say that. Even if we're shielded, don't use the word.Ф

УHari, don't be foolish. It's an eventuality that must be reckoned with. There was a time when the Joranumites might have taken power and, if they had, the Emperor, one way or anotherЧФ

УProbably not. He would have been more useful as a figurehead. And in any case, forget it. Joranum died last year in Nishaya, a rather pathetic figure.Ф

УHe had followers.Ф

УOf course. Everyone has followers. Did you ever come across the Globalist party on my native world of Helicon in your studies of the early history of the Empire and of the Kingdom of Trantor?Ф

УNo, I haven't. I don't want to hurt your feelings, Hari, but I don't recall coming across any piece of history in which Helicon played a role.Ф

УI'm not hurt, Dors. Happy the world without a history, I always say. ЧIn any case, about twenty-four hundred years ago, there arose a group of people on Helicon who were quite convinced that Helicon was the only inhabited globe in the universe. Helicon was the universe and beyond it there was only a solid sphere of sky speckled with tiny stars.Ф

УHow could they believe that?Ф said Dors. УThey were part of the Empire, I presume.Ф

УYes, but Globalists insisted that all evidence to the effect that the Empire existed was either illusion or deliberate deceit; that Imperial emissaries and officials were Heliconians playing a part for some reason. They were absolutely immune to reason.Ф

УAnd what happened?Ф

УI suppose it's always pleasant to think that your particular world is the world. At their peak, the Globalists may have persuaded ten percent of the population of the planet to be part of the movement. Only ten percent, but they were a vehement minority that drowned out the indifferent majority and threatened to take over.Ф

УBut they didn't, did they?Ф

УNo, they didn't. What happened was that Globalism caused a diminishing of Imperial trade and the Heliconian economy slid into the doldrums. When the belief began to affect the pocketbook of the population, it lost popularity rapidly. The rise and fall puzzled many at the time, but Psychohistory, I'm sure, would have shown it to be inevitable and would have made it unnecessary to give it any thought.Ф

УI see. But, Hari, what is the point of this story? I presume there's some connection with what we were discussing.Ф

УThe connection is that such movements never completely die, no matter how ridiculous their tenets may seem to sane people. Right now, on Helicon, right now there are still Globalists. Not many, but every once in a while seventy or eighty of them get together in what they call a Global Congress and take enormous pleasure in talking to each other about Globalism. ЧWell, it is only ten years since the Joranumite movement seemed such a terrible threat on this world, and it would not be at all surprising if there weren't still some remnants left. There may still be some remnants a thousand years from now.Ф

УIsn't it possible that a remnant may be dangerous?Ф

УI doubt it. It was JoJo's charisma that made it dangerous and he's dead. He didn't even die a heroic death or one that was in any way remarkable; just withered away and died in exile, a broken man.Ф

Dors stood up and walked the length of the room quickly, her arms swinging at her sides and her fists clenching. She returned and stood before the seated Seldon.

УHari,Ф she said, Уlet me speak my mind. If Psychohistory points to the possibility of serious disturbances on Trantor then, if there are Joranumites still left, they may still be aiming for the death of the Emperor.Ф

Seldon laughed nervously. УYou jump at shadows, Dors. Relax.Ф

But he found that he could not dismiss what she had said quite that easily.