Prelude to Foundation (Page 107)

"No, it is not," said Russ. "That is not part of the complaint. What gave you reason, Mistress Venabili, to suppose the person you so accused was, in fact, an Imperial agent?"

Dors said, "He had a small brown mustache, from which I concluded he was not a Dahlite. I surmised he was an Imperial agent."

"You surmised? Your associate, Master Seldon, has no mustache at all. Do you surmise he is an Imperial agent?"

"In any case," said Seldon hastily, "there was no riot. We asked the crowd to take no action against the supposed newsman and I’m sure they didn’t."

"You’re sure, Master Seldon?" said Russ. "Our information is that you left immediately after making your accusation. How could you witness what happened after you left?"

"I couldn’t," said Seldon, "but let me ask you-Is the man dead? Is the man hurt?"

"The man has been interviewed. He denies he is an Imperial agent and we have no information that he is. He also claims he was handled roughly."

"He may well be lying in both respects," said Seldon. "I would suggest a Psychic Probe."

"That cannot be done on the victim of a crime," said Russ. "The sector government is very firm on that. It might do if you two, as the criminals in this case, each underwent a Psychic Probe. Would you like us to do that?"

Seldon and Dors exchanged glances for a moment, then Seldon said, "No, of course not."

"Of course not," repeated Russ with just a tinge of sarcasm in his voice, "but you’re ready enough to suggest it for someone else." The other officer, Astinwald, who had so far not said a word, smiled at this. Russ said, "We also have information that two days ago you engaged in a knife fight in Billibotton and badly hurt a Dahlite citizen named"-he struck a button on his computer pad and studied the new page on the screen-"Elgin Marron."

Dors said, "Does your information tell you how the fight started?"

"That is irrelevant at the moment, Mistress. Do you deny that the fight took place?"

"Of course we don’t deny the fight took place," said Seldon hotly, "but we deny that we in any way instigated that. We were attacked. Mistress Venabili was seized by this Marron and it was clear he was attempting to rape her. What happened afterward was pure self-defense. Or does Dahl condone rape?"

Russ said with very little intonation in his voice, "You say you were attacked? By how many?"

"Ten men."

"And you alone-with a woman-defended yourself against ten men?"

"Mistress Venabili and I defended ourselves. Yes."

"How is it, then, that neither of you shows any damage whatever? Are either of you cut or bruised where it doesn’t show right now?"

"No, Officer."

"How is it, then, that in the fight of one-plus a woman-against ten, you are in no way hurt, but that the complainant, Elgin Marron, has been hospitalized with wounds and will require a skin transplant on his upper lip?"

"We fought well," said Seldon grimly.

"Unbelievably well. What would you say if I told you that three men have testified that you and your friend attacked Marron, unprovoked?"

"I would say that it belies belief that we should. I’m sure that Marron has a record as a brawler and knifeman. I tell you that there were ten there. Obviously, six refused to swear to a lie. Do the other three explain why they did not come to the help of their friend if they witnessed him under unprovoked attack and in danger of his life? It must be clear to you that they are lying."

"Do you suggest a Psychic Probe for them?"

"Yes. And before you ask, I still refuse to consider one for us."

Russ said, "We have also received information that yesterday, after leaving the scene of the riot, you consulted with one Davan, a known subversive who is wanted by the security police. Is that true?"

"You’ll have to prove that without help from us," said Seldon. "We’re not answering any further questions."

Russ put away his pad. "I’m afraid I must ask you to come with us to headquarters for further interrogation."

"I don’t think that’s necessary, Officer," said Seldon. "We are Outworlders who have done nothing criminal. We have tried to avoid a newsman who was annoying us unduly, we tried to protect ourselves against rape and possible murder in a part of the sector known for criminal behavior, and we’ve spoken to various Dahlites. We see nothing there to warrant our further questioning. It would come under the heading of harassment."

"We make these decisions," said Russ. "Not you. Will you please come with us?"

"No, we will not," said Dors.

"Watch out!" cried out Mistress Tisalver. "She’s got two knives."

Officer Russ sighed and said, "Thank you, Mistress, but I know she does." He turned to Dors. "Do you know it’s a serious crime to carry a knife without a permit in this sector? Do you have a permit?"

"No, Officer, I don’t."

"It was clearly with an illegal knife, then, that you assaulted Marron? Do you realize that that greatly increases the seriousness of the crime?"

"It was no crime, Officer," said Dors. "Understand that. Marron had a knife as well and no permit, I am certain."

"We have no evidence to that effect and while Marron has knife wounds, neither of you have any."

"Of course he had a knife, Officer. If you don’t know that every man in Billibotton and most men elsewhere in Dahl carry knives for which they probably don’t have permits, then you’re the only man in Dahl who doesn’t know. There are shops here wherever you turn that sell knives openly. Don’t you know that?"