Baley turned in the indicated direction. He saw no break in the wall, but the floor molding in that spot did show a thickening as though it were a threshold.
"How do I see it in the dark, Daneel?" he asked.
"That section of the wall - which is not a wall - will glow faintly. As for the room light, there is this depression in the headboard of your bed which, if you place your finger within it, will darken the room if light - or lighten it if dark.
"Thank you. You may leave now."
Half an hour later, he was through with the Personal and found himself huddling beneath the blanket, with the light out, enveloped by a warm spirit-hugging darkness.
As Fastolfe had said, it had been a long day. It was almost unbelievable that it had been only that morning that he had arrived on Aurora. He had learned a great deal and yet none of it had done him any good.
He lay in the dark and went over the events of the day in quiet succession, hoping that something might occur to him that had eluded him before - but nothing like that happened.
So much for the quietly doughtful, keen-eyed, subtle-brained Elijah Baley of the hyperwave drama.
The mattress was again half-enfolding him and it was like a warm enclosure. He moved slightly and it straightened beneath him, then slowly molded itself to fit his new position.
There was no point in trying, with his worn, sleep-seeking mind, to go over the day again, but he could not help trying a second time, following his own, footsteps on this, his first day on Aurora - from the spaceport to Fastolfe's establishment, then to Gladia, then back to Fastolfe.
Gladia - more beautiful than he remembered but hard - something hard about her - or has she just grown a protective shell - poor woman. He thought warmly of her reaction to the touch of her hand against his cheek - if he could have remained with her, he could have taught her - stupid Aurorans - disgustingly casual attitude toward sex - anything goes - which means nothing really goes - not worthwhile - stupid - to Fastolfe, to Gladia, back to Fastolfe - back to Fastolfe.
He moved a little and then abstractedly felt the mattress remold again. Back to Fastolfe. What happened on the way back to Fastolfe? Something said? Something not said? And on the ship before he ever got to Aurora - something that fit in - Baley was in the never-never world of half-sleep, when the mind is liberated and follows a law of its own. It is like the body flying, soaring through the air and liberated of gravity.
Of its own accord, it was taking the events - little aspects he had not noted - putting them together - one thing adding to another - clicking into place - forming a web of fabric. And then, it seemed to him, he heard a sound and he roused himself to a level of wakefulness. He listened, heard nothing, and sank once more into the half-sleep to take up the line of thought - and it eluded him.
It was like a work of art sinking into a morass. He could still see its outlines, the masses of color. They got dimmer, but he still knew it was there. And even as he scrambled desperately for it, it was gone altogether and he remembered nothing of it. Nothing at all.
Had he actually thought of anything or was the memory of having done so itself an illusion born of some drifting nonsense in a mind asleep? And he was, indeed, asleep.
When he woke briefly during the night, he thought to himself: I had an idea. An important idea.
But he remembered nothing, except that something had been there.
He remained awake a while, staring into the darkness. If, in fact, something had been there - it would come back in time.
Or it might not! (Jehoshaphat!)
And he slept again.
Chapter 8. FASTOLFE AND VASILIA
31
Baley woke with a start and drew in his breath with sharp suspicion. There was a faint and unrecognizable odor in the air that vanished by his second breath.
Daneel stood gravely at the side of the bed. He said, "I trust, Partner Elijah, that you have slept well."
Baley looked around. The drapes were still closed, but it was clearly daylight Outside. Giskard was laying out clothing, totally different, from shoes to jacket, from anything he had worn the day before.
He said, "Quite well, Daneel. Did something awaken me?"
"There was an injection of antisomnin in the room's air circulation, Partner Elijah. It activates the arousal system. We used a smaller than normal amount, since we were uncertain of your reaction. Perhaps we should have used a smaller amount still."
Baley said, "It did seem to be rather like a paddle over the rear. What time is it?"
Daneel said, "It is 07:05, by Auroran measure. Physiologically, breakfast will be ready in half an hour." He said it without a trace of humor, though a human being might have found a smile appropriate.
Giskard said, his voice stiffer and a trifle less intoned than Daneel's, "Sir, friend Daneel and I may not enter the Personal. If you will do so and let us know if there is anything you will need, we will supply it at once."
"Yes, of course." Baley raised himself, swung around, and got out of bed.
Giskard began stripping the bed at once. "May I have your pajamas, sir?"
Baley hesitated for a moment only. It was a robot who asked, nothing more. He disrobed and handed the garment to Giskard, who took it with a small, grave nod of acceptance.
Baley looked at himself with distaste. He was suddenly conscious of a middle-aged body that was very likely in less good condition than Fastolfe's, which was nearly three times as old.
Automatically, he looked for his slippers and found there were none. Presumably, he needed none. The floor seemed warm and soft to his feet.
He stepped into the Personal and called out for instructions. From the other side of the illusory section of the wall, Giskard solemnly explained the working of the shaver, of the toothpaste dispenser, explained how to put the flushing device on automatic, how to control the temperature of the shower.