wanda's eyes were filled with tears, but the emotion they represented was not sorrow but fury.

"grandpa," she said, "i don't understand it. i simply don't understand it. we've been to four different firms. each one was ruder and nastier to us than the one before. the fourth one just kicked us out. and since then, no one will let us in."

"it's no mystery, wanda," said seldon gently. "when we saw bindris, he didn't know what we were there for and he was perfectly friendly until i asked for a gift of a few million credits. then he was a great deal less friendly. i imagine the word went out as to what we wanted and each additional time there was less friendliness until now, when people won't receive us at all. why should they? they're not going to give us the credits we need, so why waste time with us?"

wanda's anger turned on herself. "and what did i do? i just sat there. nothing."

"i wouldn't say that," said seldon. "bindris was affected by you. it seems to me that he really wanted to give me the credits, largely because of you. you were pushing him and accomplishing something."

"not nearly enough. besides, all he cared about was that i was pretty."

"not pretty," muttered seldon. "beautiful. very beautiful."

"so what do we do now, grandpa?" asked wanda. "after all these years, psychohistory will collapse."

"i suppose that," said seldon "in a way, it's something that can't be helped. i've been predicting the breakdown of the empire for nearly forty years and now that it's come, psychohistory breaks down with it."

"but psychohistory will save the empire, at least partly."

"i know it will, but i can't force it to."

"are you just going to let it collapse?"

seldon shook his head. "i'll try to keep it from doing so, but i must admit that i don't know how i'm going to do it."

wanda said, "i'm going to practice. there must be some way i can strengthen my push, make it easier for me to force people to do what i want them to do."

"i wish you could manage."

"what are you going to do, grandpa?"

"well, nothing much. two days ago, when i was on my way to see the chief librarian, i encountered three men in the library who were arguing about psychohistory. for some reason, one of them impressed me very much. i urged him to come see me and he agreed. the appointment is for this afternoon at my office."

"are you going to have him work for you?"

"i would like to-if i have enough credits to pay him with. but it can't hurt to talk with him. after all, what can i lose?"