Robots and Empire (Page 117)

"Never, really, but what can you expect? Haven’t you ever stood in a field and heard the wind rustling the leaves and insects stridulating and birds calling, and water running. That never stops."

"That’s different."

"No, it isn’t. It’s the same. The sound here is the melting together of the rumble of machinery and the various noises people make, but the principle is precisely the same as the natural nonhuman noises of a field. You’re used to fields, so you don’t hear the noise there. You’re not used to this, so you hear it and probably find it annoying. Earthpeople don’t hear it except on the rare occasions when they come fresh in from the countryside – and then they are very glad indeed to greet it. Tomorrow you won’t hear it either."

Gladia looked about thoughtfully from their position on a small balcony. "So many buildings!"

"That’s true enough. Structures in every direction stretching outward for miles. And up – and down, too. This is not just a city, in the fashion of Aurora or Baleyworld. It is a City – capital ‘C’ – of the kind that exists only on Earth."

"These are the Caves of Steel," said Gladia. "I know. We’re underground, aren’t we?"

"Yes. Absolutely. I must tell you that it took me time to get used to this sort of thing the first time I visited Earth. Wherever you go in a City, it looks like a crowded city scene. Walkways and roadways and storefronts and mobs of people, with the soft and universal lights of fluorescents making everything seem bathed in soft shadowless sunshine – but it isn’t sunshine and, up above the surface, I don’t know if the sun is really shining at the moment, or is covered by clouds, or is absent altogether, leaving this part of the world plunged in night and darkness."

"It makes the City enclosed. People breathe each other’s air."

"We do anyway – on any world – anywhere."

"Not like this." She sniffed. "It smells."

"Every world smells. Every City on Earth smells differently. You’ll get used to it."

"Do I want to? Why don’t people suffocate?"

"Excellent ventilation."

"What happens when it breaks down?"

"It never does."

Gladia looked about again and said. "Every building seems loaded with balconies."

"It’s a sign of status. Very few people have apartments facing out and if they do have one they want the advantage of it. Most Citypeople live inside windowless apartments."

Gladia shuddered, "Horrible! What’s the name of this City, D.G.?"

"It’s New York. It’s the chief City, but not the largest. On this continent, Mexico City and Los Angeles are the largest and there are Cities larger than New York on other continents."

"What makes New York the chief City, then?"

"The usual reason. The Global Government is located here. The United Nations."

"Nations?" She pointed her finger triumphantly at D.G. "Earth was divided into several independent political units. Right?"

"Right. Dozens of them. But that was before hyperspatial. Travel prehyper times. The name remains, though. That’s what’s wonderful about Earth. It’s frozen history. Every other world is new and shallow. Only Earth is humanity in its essence."

D.G. said it in a hushed whisper and then retreated back into the room. It was not a large one and its furnishings were skimpy.

Gladia said, disappointed, "Why isn’t there anyone about?"

D.G. laughed. "Don’t worry, dear. If it’s parades and attention you want, you’ll have them. It’s just that I asked them to leave us alone for a while. I want a little peace and rest and I imagine you do, too. As for my men, they have to berth the ship, clean it up, renew supplies, tend to their devotions – "

"Women?"

"No, that’s not what I mean, though I suppose women will play a role later. By devotions, I mean that Earth still has its religions and these comfort the men somehow. Here on Earth, anyway. It seems to have more meaning here."

"Well," said Gladia half-contemptuously. "Frozen history, as you say. – Do you suppose we can get out of the building and walk about a bit?"

"Take my advice, Gladia, and don’t jump into that sort of thing just now. You’ll get plenty of it when the ceremonies begin."

"But that will be so formal. Could we skip the ceremonies?"

"No chance at all. Since you insisted on making yourself a heroine on Baleyworld, you’ll have to be one on Earth as well. Still, the ceremonies will be through eventually. When you recover from them, we will get a guide and we’ll really see the City."

"Will we have any trouble taking my robots with us?" She gestured toward Daneel and Giskard at the other end of the room. "I don’t mind being without them when I’m with you on the ship, but if I’m going to be with crowds of strangers I’ll feel more secure having them with me."

"There’ll be no problem with Daneel, certainly. He’s a hero in his own right. He was the Ancestor’s partner and he passes for human. Giskard, who is an obvious robot, should, in theory, not be allowed inside the City borders, but they’ve made an exception in his case and I hope they will continue to do so. It is too bad, in a way, that we must wait here and can’t step outside."

"You say I should not be exposed to all that noise just yet," said Gladia.

"No, no. I’m not referring to the public squares and roadways. I would just like to take you out into the corridors within this particular building. There are miles and miles of them literally – and they’re a small bit of City in themselves: shopping recesses, dining halls, amusement areas, Personals, elevators, transways, and so on. There’s more color and variety on one floor in one building in one City on Earth than in a whole Settler town or in a whole Spacer world."