"But it is New Earth, and therefore, a later Earth. There must be an Old Earth, a former one, for which it was named. Each morning there is a new day, and that implies that earlier there had existed an old day. Don't you see that this must be so?"
"Nay, respected sir. I know only what this land is called. I know of naught else, nor do I follow this reasoning of thine which sounds very much like what we call here chop-logic. I mean no offense."
And Trevize shook his head and felt defeated.
77.
TREVIZE leaned toward Pelorat, and whispered, "Wherever we go, whatever we do, we get no information."
"We know where Earth is, so what does it matter?" said Pelorat, doing little more than move his lips.
"I want to know something about it."
"She's very young. Scarcely a repository of information."
Trevize thought about that, then nodded. "Right, Janov."
He turned to Hiroko and said, "Miss Hiroko, you haven't asked us why we are here in your land?"
Hiroko's eyes fell, and she said, "That would be but scant courtesy until you have all eaten and rested, respected sir."
"But we have eaten, or almost so, and we have recently rested, so I shall tell you why we are here. My friend, Dr. Pelorat, is a scholar on our world, a learned man. He is a mythologist. Do you know what that means?"
"Nay, respected sir, I do not."
"He studies old tales as they are told on different worlds. Old tales are known as myths or legends and they interest Dr. Pelorat. Are there learned ones on New Earth who know the old tales of this world?"
Hiroko's forehead creased slightly into a frown of thought. She said, "This is not a matter in which I am myself skilled. We have an old man in these parts who loves to talk of ancient days. Where he may have learned these things, I know not, and methinks he may have spun his notions out of air, or heard them from others who did so spin. This is perhaps the material which thy learned companion would hear, yet I would not mislead thee. It is in my mind," she looked to right and left as though unwilling to be overheard, "that the old man is but a prater, though many listen willingly to him."
Trevize nodded. "Such prating is what we wish. Would it be possible for you to take my friend to this old man-"
"Monolee he calls himself."
"-to Monolee, then. And do you think Monolee would be willing to speak to my friend?"
"He? Willing to speak?" said Hiroko scornfully. "Thou must ask, rather, if he be ever ready to cease from speaking. He is but a man, and will therefore speak, if allowed, till a fortnight hence, with no pause. I mean no offense, respected sir."
"No offense taken. Would you lead my friend to Monolee now?"
"That may anyone do at any time. The ancient is ever home and ever ready to greet an ear."
Trevize said, "And perhaps an older woman would be willing to come and sit with Madam Bliss. She has the child to care for and cannot move about too much. It would please her to have company, for women, as you know, are fond of-"
"Prating?" said Hiroko, clearly amused. "Why, so men say, although I have observed that men are always the greater babblers. Let the men return from their fishing, and one will vie with another in telling greater flights of fancy concerning their catches. None will mark them nor believe, but this will not stop them, either. But enough of my prating, too. I will have a friend of my mother's, one whom I can see through the window, stay with Madam Bliss and the child, and before that she will guide your friend, the respected doctor, to the aged Monolee. If your friend will hear as avidly as Monolee will prate, thou wilt scarcely part them in this life. Wilt thou pardon my absence a moment?"
When she had left, Trevize turned to Pelorat and said, "Listen, get what you can out of the old man, and Bliss, you find out what you can from whoever stays with you. What you want is anything about Earth."
"And you?" said Bliss. "What will you do?"
"I will remain with Hiroko, and try to find a third source."
Bliss smiled. "Ah yes. Pel will be with this old man; I with an old woman. You will force yourself to remain with this fetchingly unclad young woman. It seems a reasonable division of labor."
"As it happens, Bliss, it is reasonable."
"But you don't find it depressing that the reasonable division of labor should work out so, I suppose."
"No, I don't. Why should I?"
"Why should you, indeed?"
Hiroko was back, and sat down again. "It is all arranged. The respected Dr. Pelorat will be taken to Monolee; and the respected Madam Bliss, together with her child, will have company. May I be granted, then, respected Sir Trevize, the boon of further conversation with thee, mayhap of this Old Earth of which thou-"
"Pratest?" asked Trevize.
"Nay," said Hiroko, laughing. "But thou dost well to mock me. I showed thee but discourtesy ere now in answering thy question on this matter. I would fain make amends."
Trevize turned to Pelorat. "Fain?"
"Be eager," said Pelorat softly.
Trevize said, "Miss Hiroko, I felt no discourtesy, but if it will make you feel better, I will gladly speak with you."
"Kindly spoken. I thank thee," said Hiroko, rising.
Trevize rose, too. "Bliss," he said, "make sure Janov remains safe."
"Leave that to me. As for you, you have your-" She nodded toward his holsters.
"I don't think I'll need them," said Trevize uncomfortably.
He followed Hiroko out of the dining room. The sun was higher in the sky now and the temperature was still warmer. There was an otherworldly smell as always. Trevize remembered it had been faint on Comporellon, a little musty on Aurora, and rather delightful on Solaria. (On Melpomenia, they were in space suits where one is only aware of the smell of one's own body.) In every case, it disappeared in a matter of hours as the osmic centers of the nose grew saturated.