"Jealous?"
It occurred to Baley that the word might have little meaning on Aurora or Solaria. "Angered that you should prefer another to himself."
Gladia said sharply, "I know the meaning of the word 'jealous.' I repeated it only out of surprise that you should think any Auroran was jealous. On Aurora, people are not jealous over sex. Over other things certainly, but not over sex." There was a definite sneer upon her face. "Even if he were jealous, what would it matter? What could he do?"
"Wasn't it possible he might have told Jander that the relationship with a robot would endanger your position on Aurora - "
"That would not have been true!"
"Jander might have believed it if he were told so - believed he was endangering you, - harming you. Might not that have been the reason for the mental freeze-out?"
"Jander would never have believed that. He made me happy every day he was my husband and I told him so."
Baley remained calm. She was missing the point, but he would simply have to make it clearer. "I am sure he believed you, but he might also feel impelled to believe someone else, who told him the reverse. If he were then caught in an unbearable First Law dilemma - "
Gladia's face contorted and she shrieked, "That's mad. You're just telling me the old fairy tale of Susan Calvin and the mindreading robot. No one over the age of ten can possibly believe that."
"Isn't it possible that - "
"No, it isn't. I'm from Solaria and I know enough about robots to know it isn't possible. It would take an incredible expert to tie First Law knots in a robot. Dr. Fastolfe might be able to do it, but certainly not Santirix Gremionis. Gremionis is a stylist. He works on human beings. He cuts hair, designs clothing. I do the same, but at least I work on robots. Gremionis has never touched a robot. He knows nothing about them, except to order one to close the window or something like that. Are you trying to tell me that it was the relationship between Jander and me - me" - she tapped herself harshly on the breastbone with one rigid finger, the swells of her small breasts scarcely showing under her robe - "that caused Jander's death?"
"It was nothing you did knowingly," said Baley, wanting to stop but unable to quit probing. "What if Gremionis had learned from Dr. Fastolfe how to - "
"Gremionis didn't know Dr. Fastolfe and couldn't have understood anything Dr. Fastolfe might have told him, anyhow."
"You can't know for certain what Gremionis might or might not understand and, as for not knowing Dr. Fastolfe - Gremionis must have been frequently, in your establishment if he hounded you so and - "
"And Dr. Fastolfe was almost never in my establishment. Last night, when he came with you, it was only the second time he had crossed my threshold. He was afraid that to be too close to me would drive me away. He admitted that once. He lost his daughter that way, he thought - something foolish like that. - You see, Elijah, when you live several centuries, you have plenty of time to lose thousands of things. Be thankful for short life, Elijah." She was weeping uncontrollably.
Baley looked and felt helpless. "I'm sorry, Gladia. I have no more questions. Shall I call a robot? Will you need help?"
She shook her head and waved her hand at him. "Just go away - go away," she said in a strangled voice. "Go away."
Baley hesitated and then strode out of the room, taking one last, uncertain look at her as he walked out the door. Giskard followed in his footsteps and Daneel joined him as he left the house. He scarcely noticed. It occurred to him, abstractedly, that he was coming to accept their presence as he would have that of his shadow or of his clothing, that he was reaching a point where he would feel bare without them.
He walked rapidly back toward the Fastolfe establishment his mind churning. His desire to see Vasilia had at first been a matter of desperation, a lack of any other object of curiosity, but now things had changed. There was just a chance that he had stumbled on something vital.
34
Fastolfe's homely face was set in grim lines when Baley returned.
"Any progress?" he asked.
"I eliminated part of a possibility. - Perhaps."
"Part of a possibility? How do you eliminate the other part? Better yet, how do you establish a possibility?"
Baley said, "By finding it impossible to eliminate a possibility, a beginning is made at establishing one."
"And if you find it impossible to eliminate the other part of the possibility you mysteriously mentioned?"
Baley shrugged. "Before we waste our time considering that, I must see your daughter."
Fastolfe looked dejected. "Well, Mr. Baley, I did as, you asked me to do and tried to contact her. It was necessary to awaken her."
"You mean she is in part of the planet where it is night? I hadn't thought of that." Baley felt chagrined. "I'm afraid I'm fool enough to imagine I'm on Earth still. In underground Cities, day and night lose their meaning and time tends to be uniform."
"It's not that bad. Eos is the robotics center of Aurora and you'll find few roboticists who live out of it. She was simply sleeping and being awakened did not improve her temper, apparently. She would not speak to me."
"Call again," said Baley urgently.
"I spoke to her secretarial robot and there was an uncomfortable relaying of messages. She made it quite plain she will not speak to me in any fashion. She was a little more flexible with you. The robot announced that she would give you five minutes on her private viewing channel, if you call - Fastolfe consulted the time-strip on the wall in half an hour. She will not see you in person under any conditions."