They were back at Streeling now and Seldon’s leg was stretched out on a hassock.

Raych looked at him somberly. “Dad,” he began, “you’re not to go walking around Trantor on your own from now on.”

Seldon frowned. “Why, because of one incident?”

“It was enough of an incident. You can’t take care of yourself any longer. You’re seventy years old and your right leg will not support you in an emergency. And you have enemies—”

“Enemies!”

“Yes, indeed. And you know it. Those sewer rats were not after simply anyone. They were not looking for just any unwary person to rip off. They identified you by calling out, ‘Psychohistory!’ And they called you a creep. Why do you suppose that was?”

“I don’t know why.”

“That’s because you live in a world all your own, Dad, and you don’t know what’s going on on Trantor. Don’t you suppose the Trantorians know that their world is going downhill at a rapid rate? Don’t you suppose they know that your psychohistory has been predicting this for years? Doesn’t it occur to you that they may blame the messenger for the message? If things go bad—and they are going bad—there are many who think that you are responsible for it.”

“I can’t believe that.”

“Why do you suppose there’s a faction at the Galactic Library that wants you out of there? They don’t want to be in the way when you are mobbed. So—you’ve got to take care of yourself. You can’t go out alone. I’ll have to be with you or you will have to have bodyguards. That’s the way it’s going to be, Dad.”

Seldon looked dreadfully unhappy.

Raych softened and said, “But not for long, Dad. I’ve got a new job.”

Seldon looked up. “A new job. What kind?”

“Teaching. At a University.”

“Which University?”

“Santanni.”

Seldon’s lips trembled. “Santanni! That’s nine thousand parsecs away from Trantor. It’s a provincial world on the other side of the Galaxy.”

“Exactly. That’s why I want to go there. I’ve been on Trantor all my life, Dad, and I’m tired of it. There’s no world in all the Empire that’s deteriorating the way Trantor is. It’s become a haunt of crime with no one to protect us. The economy is limping, the technology is failing. Santanni, on the other hand, is a decent world, still humming along, and I want to be there to build a new life, along with Manella and Wanda and Bellis. We’re all going there in two months.”

“All of you!”

“And you, Dad. And you. We wouldn’t leave you behind on Trantor. You’re coming with us to Santanni.”

Seldon shook his head. “Impossible, Raych. You know that.”

“Why impossible?”

“You know why. The Project. My psychohistory. Are you asking me to abandon my life’s work?”

“Why not? It’s abandoned you.”

“You’re mad.”

“No, I’m not. Where are you going with it? You have no credits. You can’t get any. There’s no one left on Trantor who’s willing