Robots and Empire (Page 27)

She said suddenly grasping the word, "You mean – "

The Settler laughed, showing fine white teeth, and said, "You talk funny, too, my lady."

Gladia tried to look haughty, but melted into a smile. Proper pronunciation was a matter of local consensus. She said, "You ought to hear me with my Solarian accent – if it comes to that. Then it would be ‘estheetic rayzuns.’ The ‘r’ rolled interminably."

"I’ve been places where they talk a little bit like that, it sounds barbarous." He rolled both "r’s" phenomenally in the last word.

Gladia chuckled. "You do it with the tip of your tongue. It’s got to be with the sides of the tongue. No one, but a Solarian can do it correctly."

"Perhaps you can teach me. A Trader like myself, who’s been everywhere, hears all kinds of linguistic perversions." Again he tried to roll the "r’s" of the last word, choked slightly, and coughed.

"See. You’ll tangle your tonsils and you’ll never recover." She was still staring at his beard and now she could curb her curiosity no longer. She reached toward it.

The Settler flinched and started back, then, realizing her intention, was still.

Gladia’s hand, all-but-invisibly gloved, rested lightly on the left side of his face. The thin plastic that covered her fingers did not interfere with the sense of touch and she found the hair to be soft and springy.

"It’s nice," she said with evident surprise.

"Widely admired," said the Settler, grinning.

She said, "But I can’t stand here and manhandle you all day."

Ignoring his predictable "You can as far as I’m concerned," – she went on. "Have you told my robots what you would like to eat?"

"My lady, I told them what I now tell you – whatever is handy. I’ve been on a score of worlds in the last year and each has its own dietary. A Trader learns to eat everything that isn’t actually toxic. I’d prefer an Auroran meal to anything you would try to make in imitation of Baleyworld – "

"Baleyworld?" said Gladia sharply, a frown returning to her face.

"Named for the leader of the first expedition to the planet – or to any of the Settled planets, for that matter. Ben Baley."

"The son of Elijah Baley."

"Yes," the Settler said and changed the subject, at once. He looked down at himself and said with a trace of petulance, "How do you people manage to stand these clothes of yours slick and puffy. Be glad to get into my own again."

"I’m sure you will have your chance to do so soon enough. But for now please come and join me at lunch. – I was told your name was Baley, by the way – like your planet."

"Not surprising. It’s the most honored name on the planet, naturally. I’m Deejee Baley."

They had walked into the dining room, Giskard preceding them, Daneel following them, each moving into his appropriate wall niche. Other robots were already in their niches and two emerged to do the serving. The room was bright with sunshine, the walls were alive with decoration, the table was set, and the odor of the food was enticing.

The Settler sniffed and let his breath out in satisfaction. "I don’t think I’ll have any trouble at all eating Auroran food. Where would you like me to sit, my lady?"

A robot said at once, "If you would sit here, sir?"

The Settler sat down and then Gladia, the privileges of the guest satisfied, took her own seat.

"Deejee?" she said. "I do not know the nomenclature peculiarities of your world, so excuse me if my question is offensive. Wouldn’t Deejee be a feminine name?"

"Not at all," said the Settler a bit stiffly. "In any case, it is not a name, it is a pair of initials. Fourth letter of the alphabet and the seventh."

"Oh," said Gladia, enlightened, "D.G. Baley. And what do the initials stand for, if you’ll excuse my curiosity?"

"Certainly. There’s ‘D,’ for certain," he said, jerking his thumb toward one of the wall niches, "and I suspect that one may be ‘G.’" He jerked his thumb toward another.

"You don’t mean that," said Gladia faintly.

"But I do. My name is Daneel Giskard Baley. In every generation, my family has had at least one Daneel or one Giskard in its multiplying batches. I was the last of six children, but the first boy. My mother felt that was enough and made up for having but one son by giving me both names. That made me Daneel Giskard Baley and the double load was too great for me. I prefer D.G. as my name and I’d be honored if you used it." He smiled genially. "I’m the first to bear both names and I’m also the first to see the grand originals."

"But why those names?"

"It was Ancestor Elijah’s idea, according to the family story. He had the honor of naming his grandsons and he named, the oldest Daneel, while the second was named Giskard. He insisted on those names and that established the tradition."

"And the daughters?"

"The traditional name from generation to generation is Jezebel – Jessie. Elijah’s wife, you know."

"I know."

"There are no – " He caught himself and transferred his attention to the dish that had been placed before him. "If this were Baleyworld, I would say this was a slice of roast pork and that it was smothered in peanut sauce."

"Actually, it is a vegetable dish, D.G. What you were about to say was that there are no Gladias in the family?"

"There aren’t," said D.G. calmly. "One explanation is that Jessie – the original Jessie – would have objected, but I don’t accept that. Elijah’s wife, the Ancestress, never came to Baleyworld, you know, never left Earth. How could she have objected? No, to me, it’s pretty certain that the Ancestor wanted no other Gladia. No imitations, no copies, no pretense. One Gladia. Unique. – He asked that there be no later Elijah, either."