[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.It was a trimensional image.It seemed tome you would know.You have such things on Earth. Not like this, muttered Baley.A trimensional image on Earth was encased in acubic force-field that glittered against the background.The image itself had a tiny flicker.On Earth there wasno mistaking image for reality.Here.No wonder Gruer had worn no gloves.He neededno nose filters, for that matter.Daneel said,  Would you care to eat now, PartnerElijah?Dinner was an unexpected ordeal.Robotsappeared.One set the table.One brought in the food.The Naked Sun.qxd 7/7/2003 12:43 PM Page 48ISAAC ASIMOV48 How many are there in the house, Daneel? Baleyasked. About fifty, Partner Elijah. Will they stay here while we eat? (One hadbacked into a corner, his glossy, glowing-eyed faceturned toward Baley.) It is the usual practice, said Daneel,  for one todo so in case its service is called upon.If you do notwish that, you have only to order it to leave.Baley shrugged. Let it stay!Under normal conditions Baley might have foundthe food delicious.Now he ate mechanically.He notedabstractedly that Daneel ate also, with a kind of unim-passioned efficiency.Later on, of course, he wouldempty the fluorocarbon sac within him into which the eaten food was now being stored.MeanwhileDaneel maintained his masquerade. Is it night outside? asked Baley. It is, replied Daneel.Baley stared somberly at the bed.It was too large.The whole bedroom was too large.There were noblankets to burrow under, only sheets.They wouldmake a poor enclosure.Everything was difficult! He had already gonethrough the unnerving experience of showering in astall that actually adjoined the bedroom.It was theheight of luxury in a way, yet, on the other hand, itseemed an unsanitary arrangement.He said abruptly,  How is the light put out? Theheadboard of the bed gleamed with a soft light.Perhaps that was to facilitate book viewing beforesleeping, but Baley was in no mood for that.The Naked Sun.qxd 7/7/2003 12:43 PM Page 49THE NAKED SUN49 It will be taken care of once you re in bed, if youcompose yourself for sleep. The robots watch, do they? It is their job. Jehoshaphat! What do these Solarians do forthemselves? Baley muttered. I wonder now why arobot didn t scrub my back in the shower.With no trace of humor Daneel said,  One wouldhave, had you required it.As for the Solarians, they dowhat they choose.No robot performs his duty ifordered not to, except, of course, where the perform-ance is necessary to the wellbeing of the human. Well, good night, Daneel. I will be in another bedroom, Partner Elijah.If, atany time during the night, you need anything   I know.The robots will come. There is a contact patch on the side table.Youhave only to touch it.I will come too.Sleep eluded Baley.He kept picturing the house hewas in, balanced precariously at the outer skin of theworld, with emptiness waiting just outside like a monster.On Earth his apartment his snug, comfortable,crowded apartment sat nestled beneath many others.There were dozens of Levels and thousands of peoplebetween himself and the rim of Earth.Even on Earth, he tried to tell himself, there werepeople on the topmost Level.They would be immedi-ately adjacent to the outside.Sure! But that s whatmade those apartments low-rent.Then he thought of Jessie, a thousand light-yearsaway.He wanted terribly to get out of bed right now,The Naked Sun.qxd 7/7/2003 12:43 PM Page 50ISAAC ASIMOV50dress, and walk to her.His thoughts grew mistier.Ifthere were only a tunnel, a nice, safe tunnel burrowingits way through safe, solid rock and metal from Solariato Earth, he would walk and walk and walk.He would walk back to Earth, back to Jessie, backto comfort and security.Security.Baley s eyes opened.His arms grew rigid and herose up on his elbow, scarcely aware that he was doingso.Security! This man, Hannis Gruer, was head ofSolarian security.So Daneel had said.What did security mean? If it meant the same as it meant onEarth, and surely it must, this man Gruer was respon-sible for the protection of Solaria against invasionfrom without and subversion from within.Why was he interested in a murder case? Was itbecause there were no police on Solaria and theDepartment of Security would come the closest toknowing what to do about a murder?Gruer had seemed at ease with Baley, yet there hadbeen those furtive glances, again and again, in thedirection of Daneel.Did Gruer suspect the motives of Daneel? Baley,himself, had been ordered to keep his eyes open andDaneel might very likely have received similarinstructions.It would be natural for Gruer to suspect that espi-onage was possible.His job made it necessary for himto suspect that in any case where it was conceivable.And he would not fear Baley overmuch, an Earthman,representative of the least formidable world in theGalaxy.The Naked Sun.qxd 7/7/2003 12:43 PM Page 51THE NAKED SUN51But Daneel was a native of Aurora, the oldest andlargest and strongest of the Outer Worlds.That wouldbe different.Gruer, as Baley now remembered, had notaddressed one word to Daneel [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]